Rewrite
by Phoenix Noir
Summary: The Master makes a grievous mistake,one that he can't seem to cope with;he's killed the Doctor. There are whispers,though,around the drum beats in his head,and the Doctor speaks to him still."Fix things" He says,"Rewrite my destiny."And the Master does the strangest thing—He agrees.Now,the Master finds himself displaced in the past and tasked with becoming the Doctor's companion.
1. Chapter 1

The Master makes a grievous mistake, one that he can't seem to cope with; he's killed the Doctor. There are whispers, though, around the drum beats in his head, and the Doctor speaks to him still. "Fix things" He says, "Rewrite my destiny." And the Master does the strangest thing—He agrees. Now, the Master finds himself displaced in the past and tasked with becoming the Doctor's… Companion, if only to save him.

Author's note: First person, Master's POV.

WARNINGS: Character death. It'll be okay, though. Also, very dark. And slash is definite, though it's not here yet.

DISCLAIMER: Not mine and it's very sad.

Rewrite

'Chapter 1'

Red, red, red; everything was so ridiculously vibrant, and bold and so very red. There were spatters on the walls, heavy drips rolling down the stark whiteness, tainting the pureness, and leaving only madness in its wake. It stained the front of his suit, darkening the blue fabric to nearly black as the endless amount of blood pooled beneath the prone body of the only man who ever offered me friendship.

The red mess crept towards me, as slow as molasses, though not half as sweet; a tendril of hate that came to wrap around the toe of my shoe, forever leaving bits of the Doctor in the stitching. The noise of the blade clattering against the ground startled me; I had forgotten that's what I used to do it…

Funny thing, madness… It makes you forget, and once it's inside of you, it makes its home, and you're none the wiser. You go about your life, your thousand years of life, and you never really think 'Hey. I'm bloody bat shit.' You never question every rage twisted face you see that tells you otherwise. You never question it… Until you're staring down at something you…. Well, I won't say I loved him. I cherished him. More than anything…

Sightless chocolate eyes, once so full of warmth, stared into nothingness. His blood was once so full of warmth, too, and now it was cooling, and clotting and leaving only the smell of meat in my nostrils and staining the inside of my memories.

My feet moved without me telling them too—and how did I end up on the ground? I hadn't wanted to be so close… His blood squelched beneath my knees as I quickly learned how absorbent dress slacks were, feeling the sticky chill matt into my leg hairs. I reached my hand out, to touch him… And then the Drums! Those damnable, infuriating and cursed _drums_! Like an orchestra playing inside of my head, louder, and louder, and louder, until I could barely hear my own breath, my own heartbeat, my own anything. I was completely encompassed by the sound of the drums.

Panic was something that never came so easily to me. Even as a small child, looking into the Tear. When I first found the drums, I took comfort. When the Doctor first abandoned me, I could only laugh, because I knew I would take him back. But not like this.

Panic, too, is a funny thing. It starts quietly, much like the madness, and it creeps up on you. One moment you were absolutely fine, and then the next you realized there were tears on your cheeks. That your hands had balled into the heavy fabric of your friend's blood soaked suit. That you were shaking him, and screaming into a lax face with a desperate prayer that perhaps your tears would wake him as they trickle across a pale face.

"NO! You're not allowed to die! I can't have killed you, I _can't_! You're too brilliant to die, you have too many things to do!"

I could hear him in my head '_You're the one who did it._'

"I didn't! I only wanted some fun, the same sort of fun I'd been having since _I caught you_!" I snarled to that cold face and that snarky image in my head. I could see him laugh in my mind, though soundlessly.

'_You didn't take very good care of your pets, friend.'_

Comfortably, I could say I was now completely insane, and absolutely panicked. It wasn't comfortable, really…more assured. As suddenly as I touched him, I let go, and he fell away from me with a gentle thump, and I was on my feet again before I could think about the blood drying beneath my fingernails.

Talking to a corpse was a little more normal than you would think, especially for the grieving, but having a conversation with a figment? Completely batshit, though I couldn't seem to shake the image in my head, of the dearest Doctor chiding me like a naughty adolescent.

'_Now, now, Master. You were always so jealous of me, remember? Poor little Koschei…' _ And the image clicked his tongue in dismay, '_No reason to kill me.'_

"Shut up! You shut your bloody, rotting mouth! I was never jealous!" I bellowed out to the empty halls of the Valiant, over the drumming noise inside my head as I tried to drown out that _stupid_ chuckle of his. Nine faces before this one, and that insufferable chuckle remained.

As I thought about it, I could admit that I was rather jealous of the Doctor, sweet Theta, in our academy days. I had been higher classed than the Doctor, and my marks were always just shy of his. More popular and more handsome…Cleverer than I was in my youth. He was simply better, and I hated him for it. I had been the outcast, despite my very best efforts. I was allowed to trail behind him while the other children whispered 'That's the boy who is insane.' The Doctor, though… He kept me close, tucked under his arm like his personal project.

Now, the Doctor was dead. Hearts punctured and not a flicker of regeneration. I wondered if he saw this coming. He couldn't exactly tell the future (without having been there, anyway) but I wondered if he knew this moment would happen, all of this time. Probably not…

I had watched the life fade from his eyes; watched the question bubble to his lips like the blood that dribbled down his chin. So confused, and hurt, and lost. Why? He had asked a single question as the light left his eyes, and I hated him for it. I always felt like the fool was apologizing when he had no reason to.

I was talking before I realized it. "No…No, no, no…" The words that my mouth formed came out in a voice that was not my own. Strangled and hoarse and filled with such denial that it made my hearts ache to hear such longing for a lie, from my own throat. I could only shake my head as I stepped back, my shoe touching the blade, and making the noise of metal across metal.

'_Bet you'll need that.'_ Again with the Doctor's ghost… I didn't try to argue with the voice inside my head as I quickly knelt to snatch the blade up and shove it into my blazer pocket.

"It wasn't supposed to end like this." I spoke with a voice still crazed and strangled, and I could only imagine what my eyes and my face looked just then. "I just wanted to play, just wanted to force feed you guilt and pain until you begged me to stop… Oh, sweet Doctor, you could have given me everything…"

'_I still could.'_

"Would you _shut up_ already! I am not listening to a figment of my bloody imagination!" I roared to nothing as I turned on my heel and began to run. Running seemed appropriate, the sound of my steps echoing as the heels of my dress shoes smacked against the metal of the Valiant. His laughter chased me through the halls, all staring from inside my own head.

I ran until the blood thundered through my brain, and the frantic beat of my hearts matched the pulse of the drums in my head. I ran until I found the TARDIS, that damnable blue box. I heard shouts behind me, and I turned quickly, to look over my shoulder.

Guards and guns and Lucy, at the very end of the storage facility, all with wide eyes and fear written across their faces. I must have looked quite the sight, all pale and covered in blood and screaming to myself.

I saw Lucy, standing there, looking so very lost and suddenly I didn't care anymore. "I'm fixing things!" I snarled down the hallway just before I threw my shoulder into the doors of the TARDIS, tumbling inside to land on the grated steps. He looked back, just as the doors snapped shut, the lock turning over on its own.

I bounded up the stairs as fast as my feet could take me, slamming into the cage around the console. My fingers gripped the grating so hard it cut me nearly to the bone, and as the blood dribbled down the metal, I could not muster a thought.

Slowly, my vision began to cloud, like smoking rolling in the way, and I couldn't see. Panic started to fill me, and then I heard that _stupid_ chuckle. I felt…safer while I was lost in my own head, and confronted with the Doctor.

_'There's good in you yet. You can fix this.'_

"Fix this?! FIX THIS! How am I supposed to fix this! You're _dead_! I might be a genius, but I'm not a bloody god! I can't fix death!" I wasn't sure if I was screaming out loud, or if it all was happening in my head.

_'Won't be hard. Destroy the Paradox.'_ The Doctor was so calm, and congenial. A stupid smile in place; this I could see even with blind eyes. I heard the footsteps, I heard him walking towards me, and I felt my shoulder grow warm as his hand curled cross it.

I jerked away, gasping as I waved my hands where I thought he was. Still blind, and going slowly more insane. Fantastic.

"If I destroy the Paradox I will be displaced in time! And this will all happen all over again; it's set in stone, Doctor. You can't rewrite your own history. That's insane!" I snapped as I pressed my back tightly against the grate that surrounded the console while I listened very closely to the sick hum of the TARDIS, and the bemused sound of my imagination.

_'I'm not the one talking to a dead man, Master.'_ I swear he smirked at me, that bastard. _'And you're right. I can't rewrite my fate. You can, though… Have faith, old friend! The TARDIS will take you where you need to go when the time comes.'_

What the hell was he talking about? True, I could destroy all of my hard work to make this The Year That Never Was, but why would I do that? It wasn't planned, that's for sure… I had wanted the Doctor at my feet while I ruled for billions of years, like a loyal dog. I would have kept a few humans safe for him, and his Handsome Jack, but only for company… The humans would die off, and the Doctor would feel pain.

This was my plan. This had been my plan since my mind had come back to me after all my years hiding as a human. Hundreds of years spent trying to thwart the Doctor, and Rassilon knew how many lost as a human, but here it was. Victory, and it felt wrong.

'_If that was your idea of victory, you've got a sad bit of road ahead of you.'_

Slowly, the fog began to lift from my eyes and my vision came back to my in jagged pieces that still made me have to rest my head against the grating that my fingers clung to. "Shut up, slug. I got what I wanted; I tricked you! I win."

I could see an image in my mind of the Doctor shaking his head, while he smiled at me like a parent does to a child when they're learning a hard lesson.

_'Do what needs to be done. You know this is wrong, and it was not meant to happen this way… Trust me, Master.'_

Trust him I did. I wasn't sure why, and I had stopped questioning my sanity a long time ago, so I was only left with this. A whisper in my head and a reassuring phantom hand that lingered along my shoulder and neck, as if he was there now caressing me. I took a quick look over my shoulder, and I saw nothing. The feeling was still there, and it brought me no comfort.

And now, all at once every single thing changed. Every plan I had, and every neatly scribed letter in both of our destinies were being rewritten, and changed.

_'And intertwined.'_

With all of my strength, I tore at the grating, and the metal scratched and groaned as I threw it to the side, and fishing in my inner breast pocket for my laser screwdriver. Intertwined with the Doctor? The very thought made my entire body ache, though this also could have been the pinprick of shock that danced up my arm as I picked at a few wires, and then tore off a side panel to the console.

"Ugh, don't make me vomit in the TARDIS, Doctor."

Now, I was elbow deep in wires, and I could only scream as I received painful bites of energy as I tore at wires, and broke circuits, only to refuse them where they needed to go. With each bite of pain, the drums became louder, and louder until I was encompassed with the sound of drums and the feeling of fire running up my arm.

My vision began to pulse, in time with the sound of the drums, and a grey fog pushed at the edges of my sight. The pulsing, beating darkness was coming for me; coming to curl across my vision as the madness took me, to make me to unspeakable things. This is how the Doctor had died. To the beat of four and blackened vision.

Just as I fell into the pit, I felt a gentle push at my mind. It was weak, but it was there, and the soothing feeling chased away the darkness and deafened the sound of the drums with her sweet, and sick hum. The TARDIS surrounded my mind in her telepathic bubble, and I was safe from myself, but only for a moment. I felt the drums beating at the edges of my mind, like a hungry wolf pacing back and forth along the fence, slathering at a chance to attack.

There were whispers in my mind, of the TARDIS, and of the Doctor as I balled my hand in that final, thick wire and tire with all my strength. Sparks, and fire, and the sounds of explosions, and I heard the mail from the TARDIS as everything began to lighten. As if the entire world was bleeding white, and my vision was swallowed by that light. I was aware, and awake… And then.

_'It'll all be over soon.'_

Nothing.

- TBC-


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: First Person, Master's P.O.V. REVISED 7/2/13

WARNINGS: Language.

'Chapter 2'

The very first thing I noticed was pain, and voices, and the drums. The drums were normal, and sometimes I heard disembodied voices whispering to me, but the pain was something I was not used to, or very fond of. My first reaction was to groan, but I bit it back as I listened to what could only be called an argument between two rather familiar voices.

"Keep that thing _away_ from him! He's not a bloody science experiment!" Damn that voice.

"Doc, listen. I know you want to have a bleeding heart here, but this guy just fell out of the sky. Bright flash, and boom! Here he is, covered in blood, with no discernible wounds for that much blood. He had a bloody knife in his pocket, Doc. And a laser… Thing. In the 21st century. "

I tried to shift, and more pain coursed through my body. So I fell out of the sky… That would explain why my body felt like it had been hit by a truck and drug through a street filled with craters. I tried to move my arms, and I found that my hands were bound behind my back.

"You could at least untie him."

"What he pops up, and tries to kill me?"

"Well, that really won't affect you, now will it?"

I heard footsteps come closer to my head, and the crinkle of cloth as the man knelt beside me. I had known it was him, even before I smelled his aftershave. My eyes fluttered open, and I got a face full of a rosy cheeked Doctor. It was so much different than before…

"Hello there. Sorry about the ties, but my friend here thinks you might be dangerous. Hate to say it, but I think he might be right." Those keen eyes took in nearly every detail of me, and I watched him do it. Each cut and gash I had, each bloodstain. I watched him pinpoint the origins. It was a brilliant thing, to watch the Doctor's mind at work.

"What if I am dangerous?" I spoke with a rasping voice. Almost growling as I grinned up at the Doctor.

"Well, then, I keep you tied up nice and neat, and sit you in the console of my ship, chained to the railing." The Doctor returned the grin as his fingers moved to my throat, seeking out my frantic pulse beneath the grim and sweat and skin.

I kept careful eyes on the Doctor's face as he felt my pulse give the beat of four, and I watched something click inside his head. There were other two-hearted species, I knew, but I also knew the Doctor and his mind. Bollocks. He took his hand back and smirked, shaking his head as he moved to turn me around to untie my wrists.

"Doctor!"

"Jack, don't worry. If he tries to do anything, I'll handle it." When he spoke, his eyes found mine and held my gaze so I knew exactly what he would do.

"Are you alright?" He asked me softly as he helped me sit up with a hand on my shoulder.

I opened my mouth once, and no sound came out. I was too focused on the man I had murdered only hours before, and he seemed to know. I felt a strange tickle in the pit of my stomach that told me he knew. He knew everything, and I knew that just couldn't be right.

It felt life a lifetime had gone by before I snapped my mouth shut and turned my eyes to the familiar face of Jack. I fought back a twisted smile as I thought of all the fun times I shared with the Jack in the timeline I came from. Jack, and the Doctor, coming to my rescue. The idea was sickening; the fact that it was happening made me physically ill.

With all the thoughts flying around in the cavern of crazy I called my head, I never answered the Doctor's question, and the time to do so seemed to have past. I stayed silent, and looked between the Doctor and Jack as they stared at me. When I wasn't being maniacal, I really hadn't any idea what to do…

The Doctor tilted his head at me, and then swung his eyes back to Jack. "When did you find him?"

Jack shrugged, "I dunno, maybe three hours? Watched him fall from … four stories, at least. When I found him, I called you."

"And here we are…" The Doctor muttered under his breath as his hands stopped the light touch as he stood to his full height, leaving me on the ground to look up at the two like a child. I felt a little like a child at the moment… Appearing out of thin air, with the 'adults' talking over me like I wasn't there. I could use this to my advantage.

I cleared my throat lightly, "As entertaining as it is to watch you two bicker like an old couple, I would really like to get off of the cold ground. I'm not sure if you two realize, or have checked, but I think my leg is broken."

I nearly laughed as the Doctor almost jumped out of his skin, dropping back to the ground to run his hands over my leg lightly, "Of course! Of course, oh goodness, how rude!" He chortled as he slipped an arm behind my back and slung my arm over his shoulder and hoisted me up. His attention turned to Jack. "Go fire the old girl up, would you? Medical kit is on the shelf next to the stair case. I need the orange-y stuff."

I watched the blue eyed Captain hesitate, before he nodded and took off towards what I could only assume was the TARDIS. The jarring motion of lifting made me gasp, and I wasn't sure how badly I was hurt until I tried to put pressure on my leg. The pain that danced from the soles of my feet to the middle of my back was some of the worst I had ever felt, and the sudden jolt made the drums start back.

I hissed, and my hand shot to my head before I could stop it, and the Doctor turned his eyes to me and asked again, "Are you alright?"

"Just peachy." I snarled from between clenched teeth as we began the slow progress to the alley that the TARDIS was parked in. It began before I could stop it; the talking.

"Where are you from, exactly? Falling out of the sky isn't a form of travel I've heard of."

Curses. I swallowed the groan of annoyance as my brain tried to come up with a reasonable story to hide behind. "Malfunction. The ship I was on had a run in with an electrical storm of sorts, and I woke up here." That wasn't too far off.

The Doctor gave a little nod, his brows furrowed as he tired to make sense of it all. "Hmm, what kind of ship was it?"

Shit. "Ah. Luxury. I was on a trip to see my family… I've been gone a long time, you see."

He nodded, seeming to believe it for now. "I see. Well, what's your name, then?"

"Ah… Well." And then I had to swallow a smirk as I lay out a bit of bait from our past; a piece that would be barely remembered. It was too tempting. "You may call me Prince of the Red Fields. Prince, for short." I watched the glint in his eyes. I knew the memory was buried somewhere, it would just take awhile to dig up.

"Well, Prince, it's very nice to meet you. I'm the Doctor, and the other one's Jack. Be careful with him." He chuckled as he came to the doors of the TARDIS. I groaned as I tried to let my body relax, but the moment I did the pain surged back up again and I nearly screamed from it being too much. As it always was, the drums followed after the pain like a cat chasing a mouse, and I was left with a thundering sound that made my eyes shake from the imagined force.

I clutched at my head again, and tried to fight the feeling as the Doctor tried to fish for his keys unsuccessfully. He apologized as he set me against the doors, but I barely heard him as I was concentrating on the sudden static in my head.

The drumming quieted, as if suddenly someone had turned the volume down by half. I marveled as this as I placed a palm on the blue wood, and then the Doctor had the door open, and I was being shuffled inside. It felt peaceful as I stepped into the TARDIS, and the light flared brightly, and she gave a happy, high pitched squeal that made the Doctor curious at my side.

"Oh! She… She likes you. Even with Jack on board, she's happy. Now… Here…" And we made slow progress up the stairs, around the console, and to the 'pilots' seat which was where he let me gently sit, as I tried to ignore the grinding pain in my leg as it was propped up beside me.

I took a moment to observe the TARIS in all her glory, while the tendrils of the telepathic field poked and prodded at my brain in an attempt to soothe me further. I watched Jack fiddle at the console, while untrusting eyes were aimed at me.

I gave a rough noise as I let my eyes slip closed, and my shoulders began to lose the tension of the day, and then it hit me. I had nearly forgotten, and the absence made me panic, and the panic made the drums begin again. I tried to shoot out of the chair, and a march of fire up my leg told me I shouldn't.

"My knife! The one you found me with—I need it. It's important." I patted my self down again, "… And my laser... Uh, pen."

"Easy there, Tiger." Jack warned as his eyes found mine from the other side of the room, holding my bloody blade between thumb and forefinger. "I'd hate for you to cut up the Doctor, or myself. You seem to be wearing quite a bit of someone else."

There was a moment of fury, and indignation as this _human_ taunted me with the item I wanted my fingers wrapped around. As he shook the blade, I watched the dried blood flake and fall to the floor and cursed my broken leg and his throat that was still in tact. I snarled at him, and hoped my voice was as sarcastic as I felt.

"Oh, yes! I'm going to be doing _so_ much murder with a broken femur. You know, I think I might get started now… Come here, so I can strangle you, Handsome Jack!" I barked out as I crossed my arms tightly over my chest and simply glared at the Captain.

"… You think I'm handsome?"

"That's what you took from that?" I groaned, and slapped my face with one hand, dragging it down until it fell back into my lap. I was defeated. Instead, I turned my eyes to the fine Doctor, decided to speak to him instead of the idiot that looked far to giddy from my comment.

"I was… attacked. Before I found myself here, and that blade is all I have left of…where I came from."

Jack scoffed. "You were attacked, and you don't have an injury to show for it. But you're covered in an awful lot of blood…"

"I won." I said icily to the Captain, my lips curling down into a severe frown as I tried to shift my upper body to a better position to take the throbbing from my leg. "Now, not to sound ungrateful, but I'd like the pain to go away. At least a little bit."

"Well, don't I feel rude… Jack! Orange-y stuff!" The Doctor called as he nearly skipped around the console, coming to kneel in front of me. Jack came beside him, handing him a roll of gauze, a bottle of clear liquid and a small vial of something viscous and orange. As the Doctor took the items, Jack still glared at me, and I returned the look with one of my most deadly.

"D'you have a problem, Jack?" I asked, with my eyes on the knife he had shoved into his belt.

"As long as you don't try anything funny, I won't have a problem."

"Jack…" Warned the Doctor, and the larger man turned without a word and moved back to the console, and away from me as much as the control room would allow. I watched the brunette shake his head as he began to unwind the gauze and pop the cork on the orange stuff. He passed me the vial.

"Drink up, and try not to scream." And he grinned at me as he began to wipe the blood from the bits he could see; my hands and my face and my neck. I gave him a curious look in return as I tilted my head back, and swallowed it in a mouthful.

At first I felt warmth in my gut; the burn one feels when they take a shot of good whiskey. It was pleasant and tingling, and from my stomach it moved outwards to all of the broken and bruised bits I had. As I healed, I felt soft warmth and the worse the spot, the hotter the burn. I realized what the orange liquid was as soon as I felt that warmth wrap around the bones of my leg and _push_.

I felt the blood leave my face as sweat broke over my brow and I fought very hard not to scream as the concoction pushed and fused and mended my bones back together with excruciating quickness. The muscles around the break began to tense, and vibrate as if they were going to tear themselves a part.

I could feel the Doctor's hands on my thighs, and I could hear his soothing voice, but it was distant as if glass separated us. In my head, I was lost to the static and the pain, though I was thankful for once, for the ebb and flow of my drums. The only thing that was familiar, in a place where I was lost.

It was then that I felt a push at my head that wasn't the TARDIS. She had already come in, and curled up within my psyche like a well-loved cat. She pushed back the sound of the drums and gave me my mind back, if only while I was in the telepathic field. No, this push was from the Doctor.

It was hard to not be at least a little offended that the Doctor was trying to invade the privacy of my brain without my permission. He had always had a penchant for telepathy, and being able to listen and to view. My skills, however, were centered influence and an excellent defense. As soon as the comforting fingers began to file through my memories, I thought of the heat of fire, the pain it brings when it touches flesh, and the fingers disappeared, and the Doctor yelped, and pulled his hand to his chest, as if he had been burned.

There was no mark to show for it, but I had left a hidden mark; a mark on his psyche. I gave him cool, careful eyes as he looked to me, confused and fascinated, all at once. The invasion had made me focus, and before I realized, there was no more pain.

"Remarkable…" Said the Doctor softly as he touched at his hands as if soothing a wound that had come and gone. He stood, and gave a little smile making sure to keep his hand to himself this time. With a glance over his shoulder, he seemed to summon Jack, and the Captain came around to stand beside the Doctor, and in front of me. Suddenly, I felt very small.

"You can give him his knife back, Jack." The Doctor never took his eyes from me as he spoke with his hands tucked into his pockets, the picture of patience and acceptance.

Jack was not as accepting as the Doctor, "What if he tries to hurt someone?"

"We've been through this before. Recently, in fact, and I say you give him his possession back. Clearly, it means a great deal to him."

I cleared my throat, "I am right here, gentlemen."

Jack cut his eyes in my direction, and then glared at the Doctor before he sighed petulantly and wrenched the knife from the belt. He handed it to me, hilt first, and I gave him a true smile as I wrapped my fingers around the blood hilt. It was sticky, and clotted, and I felt terribly relieved. This should have struck me as stranger, but I was distracted as the TARDIS gave a shake, nearly taking the Doctor and Jack's feet from under them.

"What the hell was that?!" Jack and his verbose responses.

"Oh, that. Yes, we're on our way somewhere."

"When did you do that?"

"It's my ship, Jack, I don't need to tell you when I do everything." I swore the Doctor rolled his eyes and I had to stifle my chuckle as the brunette turned on his heel to steer his ship while Jack looked a little dumbfounded. The Captain said nothing as he came to stand on the opposite end of the console to help the Doctor along.

The old type 40's really weren't meant for carrying the injured. The concoction helped heal me, but my body still ached, and each bump and jar and jostle from the course change made me groan.

Curiosity had always been a great downfall of mine. It had always made me do things I wouldn't otherwise do, for the sake of satisfying it. My eyes followed the Doctor as he piloted, and my voice was louder than I intended in the strained silence of the control room.

"Where are we going?"

The Doctor turned a brilliant smile towards me, and I felt like he had been waiting for one of us to say that since he sneakily added coordinates.

"That's a secret, Prince." And the bastard _winked_ at me.

I laughed out loud at this. Oh, the Doctor and his secrets, and his lies. It was something I had grown to count on over the years, all his little lies and half truths and secrets. All of the cards that he kept close to his chest, daring to let a few peek. It never ended well for the good Doctor, when he let his guard down, and let someone inside to see the monster that he was, that all Timelords became in the end, no matter the morals. I knew his cards, because I held my own hand of madness, though it was a different flavor.

Slowly, I stood, and got a feel for how healed my body was. I winced as I turned my head to the side hearing a loud crack ring through the control room. Not bad, but still a little sore it seemed. The steps were small, and tedious, but I was able to make my way around the console, letting my hands glide over the button and levers, and with each touch the TARDIS flared a little.

I realized too late that this was rather peculiar. I noticed the Doctor and Jack staring at me, trying to pick me apart with their eyes. The Doctor's face held cold calculations as he filed me away in his brain, all while trying to compare me to others he had met. Jack's look wasn't exactly hate. He was… annoyed with me. Perturbed, as if I had hurt his feelings somehow. I knew there was no way that this Jack would have known about the torture I inflicted upon him, but the man looked at me like I stepped on his favorite kitten.

Meeting both sets of eyes, I slowly took my hands back to myself, and let my hands slide back into my pockets, deciding to break the quiet.

"… We'll be traveling for about thirty minutes, I see. I'd like a place to freshen up, and possibly a suit if you have one, Doctor." I smiled at the brunette, who beamed at me and nearly skipped towards me.

"Of course! C'mon, right this way! I'll show you my wardrobe—slowly though!"

And off he went. I followed him through the maze of corridors, and the Doctor had to spin, and turn on his heel, and walk backwards a few times, but eventually he found what he was looking for. My progress was slow, but I had managed to keep up with the Doctor, until he vanished through a door.

Knowing the things I knew about TARDISes, I knew that venturing into random rooms could be very dangerous. As I approached the door, I peered around the corner, and then my heart nearly fell to my feet from fear as the Doctor burst out, with an armful of clothes.

"Here you are! Many colors, and a few hats if you're into that. And a scarf." He grinned at me suddenly, "I like scarves."

He turned and pointed to a door across the narrow hall that I swore had not been there before. "Washroom. The old girl will get you back to the console when you need to get there. Yell if you need anything!" And then he was gone, like an overly excited puppy in a snug blue suit.

Yes, I admired his back side as he walked down the corridor. No, I was not ashamed, even a little bit. I stepped into the washroom, and noticed that is was simple, and cozy with a shower and a sink, a small counter and a toilet. I set the pile onto the counter, and began to disrobe, but not before I placed the blade in the sink.

The suits he gave me where dark; browns, and deep reds, blues and blacks. I settled for a rich crimson turtleneck, and a tailored black blazer that went over black tailored pants. Everything fit, like they were made for me, and I grinned at my reflection.

"Charming, Master, very charming. Oh, I meant Prince, of course. Silly me." I laughed out loud as I smoothed the lapels of the jacket down, examining my face in the mirror. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something. A flicker, and a movement, and I watched the blood drain from my cheeks as I saw the slightly transparent figure standing just behind me in the mirror, all pale and grey, but smiling.

'_Thought you got rid of me, eh?'_

And I did the only thing I could think to do. I screamed.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Master's POV. First person. Blame the Winchesters. For Kerry! 33

Warnings: Language, boy kissing, dark themes

Rewrite

'Chapter Three'

My mouth was open, and I looked a fool, but I couldn't bring myself to care as I stood, gaping like a fish at the… ghost of the man I had just murdered. He looked…exactly the way he did when I left him, though less tangible. I had never seen a ghost before now. I had never believed in the existence of a land of spirits, or of a world after death.

This seemed to be proof of that. Or, proof that I was more insane that I had originally thought. I turned on my heel, and tears nearly sprang to eyes as I saw the lanky, wispy figure smile at me.

'_Glad you kept the knife.'_

He spoke to me, though his voice was almost an echo, as if I was hearing it from a large, dark room, and unable to pinpoint the source. I had no words. I couldn't speak to save me; I could only stare as my mind tried to wrap around this strangeness. I was going mad again, I had to have been. I had no explanation for this…this thing that I saw in front of me.

Through the panic, I felt the drums begin again, even under the heavy press of the TARDIS' field there was that sound! It made my skull throb, and my hearts thrum against my ribcage. There were days that I didn't know what sound was driving me mad; my heart beats or the drums sending little tremors through the tissue on my brain.

In a washroom so small, there wasn't a way to run without slipping past the bloodstained ghost, and the noises made everything worse. He wheezed through the holes in his chest, though he had no business breathing. Squelching, wet noises filled my ears, and I shook my head against it.

The ghost only smiled at me, with his hands in his pockets. He looked nearly normal, save for the paleness of his skin, and the dark rings beneath his eyes. He looked… muted. As if all of the colors were faded, almost like looking at an old photograph. His skin was covered in rust colored speckles, and his suit front was covered in blood that should of dried hours ago. Instead, it fell in heavy drops to the floor. When it hit the tile, the color exploded, bright and fresh and scarlet.

Red, red, red, so much red! "Why are you doing this to me?! I've come back, and I'm trying! I've only just arrived!"

'_Hey! Easy, now! It's odd for me, too, you know. Dying there, and being here. Seeing myself. You know, no one ever told me how handsome I really was. Didn't spend enough time in front of mirrors…'_

He spoke as if we had met at market and were catching up over tea. "I don't… You can't be real. You can't!"

'_But I am. Well, sort of. That blade I told you to grab? I'm attached to that.'_

"What? I don't understand—this is preposterous! I refuse to be ordered around by a figment of my imagination! I am not bloody insane!" I screamed at the image until I felt the flush of madness creeping up my neck and over my cheeks.

'_I'm not a figment! I really am here! Well, not really, like I said! But! …Think of it… Like parallels, okay? The place where spirits go before they're sorted is sort of like a parallel universe. Only for dead people.'_

"A parallel for dead people? I've thought some strange things before, but this takes the cake." I barked at the ghostly form, not caring that I was yelling, or that my shouts and screams would eventually bring the Doctor, or Jack.

I watched the spirit rolls his eyes, _'Fine.' _ In two steps, he was in front of me, close enough to feel him pressing lightly against my body. Icy hands reached to grab at mine, and the Doctor's eyes never left my face as he brought my hands to his cheeks. They were hollow, and sunken, and his skin was as cold as ice. There was blood at the corner of his mouth, and my thumb brushed it. It sent shock through me to feel it so thick and clotted and cold, when I still remember the feeling of it being hot, and fresh and steaming.

"Doctor…? Are you…?" I marveled around the noise in my head. The drums had begun to slow, and the sound was fading to something more bearable. "What are you?"

He nodded. '_Dead? Well, yes. Dead as a can of spam, Master.'_ He smiled at me again, a wide curve of lips, '_As for what; I thought that would be obvious. I'm a spirit. One who's not very restful, it seems. Funny thing about spirits…'_

He leaned in closer to me, chancing to rest his forehead against mine, while a hand slid behind my neck, effectively holding me in place. '_Violent deaths usually result in residual spirits, an echo, or maybe a real haunting. When we can't let go, sometimes, we attach to a place, or an object. Sometimes, we possess people. To hurt them, or use the, and sometimes to play.'_

I swallowed thickly while I stared at those dull brown eyes from inches away, my hands balled into fists at my sides. Every time I tugged to get away, I could not budge. His fingers were like steel, unmoving and not allowing me an inch.

"I'm sorry…" The only words I could think of. The only words I could whisper, so soft I wasn't sure if he heard them or not.

_'Oh, Master…'_ He tsk'd me, shaking his head back and forth, '_No need for that now. We have a long ride ahead of us. Long, and full of lies… You'll save me though, won't you?'_

If I had been a man made of weaker things, I would have had tears on my cheeks as I wept for him. I was not made of gentle things; I was made of madness and cunning and cruelty and passion. However hard I was, I still said yes.

'_Fantastic.'_ He whispered to me, and closed the distance between out lips, sealing the deal with a kiss. It felt like a block of ice had been thrown into my middle, and it was melting and filling me up with frigid water. The kiss was brief, and small, though it made my hearts thunder and my vision spin as the blood rushed to my head, and the drums started again.

I heard footsteps outside, and I heard a banging on the door as I stood, swaying in one spot, dazed as the visage of the Doctor vanished, being replaced with the flushed and panting face of Jack as the door flew open.

"What… The…hell…" The Captain wheezed as he clung to the frame of the door. "Are you okay? The Doc sent me to check on you."

"Handsome Jack, concerned for my well being. I'm touched." I crooned as I came back to myself, moving to prop myself against the sink as I crossed my arms over my chest.

Jack only rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Doc sent me to check on you while he navigates a storm." I watched as those blue eyes looked at me from dress shoe to fitted top, and he smiled a little, "Looking sharp, Prince."

I nodded at the compliment, "Thank you. It's a wonder you can say that I look good, considering the daggers you glare into my back when you think I'm not paying attention."

Jack opened his mouth to retort, and a blush climbed up his cheeks, and it was my turn to make a tsking noise, "Ahh, embarrassed to be caught pining? Don't worry Jack, there have been many in your position. Some you haven't met yet. The Doctor is a very lovable man."

"How the hell did you-"

"Ah, ah, Jack. I can't tell you my secrets. I know more than you think I do." Baiting humans seemed to be a fatal hobby of mine.

I was expecting a lot of things from Jack as I moved past him, my shoulder brushing his. I was expecting him to let me pass, a snarky comment or blushing skin and a stuttered reply. I did not expect him to grab for my elbow, and turn me to press against the wall as he pinned my arm awkwardly against my back.

As trapped as I was, I couldn't help but appreciate the feeling of that fit body pressing against my back, and I chuckled as I wiggled my bum, "Ooh, Jack. I'm flattered that you think I'm such a handsome bloke."

"Shut up." He growled into my ear, twisting my arm until I felt the strain of it on my shoulder. "How do you know so much about the Doctor? It's weird, you being here like this. He brings you on a time machine, and you wander around like it's the Holiday Inn, and you've been here before."

Well, Jack was much smarter than I gave him credit for. That was not a mistake I would make a second time. "I have my secrets, Jack. You can rip my arm off, and beat me with it, but I still can't tell you. It would ruin things!"

"Who are you?" He growled out, and I knew from the tone that there was no swaying this man. He had spent a long time in my tender care, and I had never come close to breaking him.

He pressed harder; hard enough that a noise of pain escaped my lips, small and helpless, "I'm from his future, Jack! He just doesn't know who I am yet! He hasn't seen this face!"

There was silence, punctuated only by the ragged sounds of my breathing, while Jack remained calm, and in control. His heart beat elevated slightly and I could feel that against my back, but there were no other signs that he was in distress. It felt like hours, being pressed against that wall with my shoulder threatening to come undone from its socket, and that quiet breath on my neck.

Struggling would not help me here. As for breaking free and fleeing, well. That would be counter productive… I had to act smart, and lie low. I had already given more information than I had liked…

"I don't see a vortex manipulator." And the grip that had been slowly going lax suddenly tightened again and I was pressed harder into the steel of the door, feeling the ridge of the jam cutting into my cheek. "How the hell did you get here?"

I opened my mouth to respond, just as he twisted my arm in such a way that I heard a tiny pop, and my breath ran away from me with the pain. "You're….hurting…me…" I ground out, between clenched teeth.

"You better start talking then, Prince." His fingers tightened around my wrist with such force that I knew that my skin would be bruised a long while after this was done.

"It's very complicated, and the less you know the better." I ground out from between clenched teeth.

"That answer just isn't good enough, Prince." He put more force on my shoulder, just this side of dislocation, and I gasped. "Complicated is sort of what I do. You just don't smell right to me… What exactly are you?"

There were times when I knew I could lie, and get away with it. Then there the times, like this one, where I knew that lying would only put me further into the corner. With each pulse of pain, the drums beat harder, and I would have done anything to get away from the painful sound resounding in my head.

"I am… like him. A Time…Lord." I whispered into the metal, letting my eyes slip shut as I fought against the noise in my head. Slowly, very slowly, the grip loosened, but did not fall away. It was almost comfortable now, once you were used to the awkward angle. And it was warm, and absolutely infuriating.

"Doc said they were all dead. He was the last one left." Jack's voice held absolute certainty. He believed in the Doctor, above all things. I hated to crush his ideals.

"The Doctor lies. Hasn't he told you that, yet? I swear to you, on the Tear itself that I am an ally…. Now if you'll please let me go…"

This seemed enough, and suddenly, I slumped forward as the grip fell away, bringing my arm around to my front and cradling the wounded appendage as I turned to face Jack, not trusting him at my back. I glared at him, and he glared at me for a long while, and it seemed that no further violence was going to happen…

"You attacked me for teasing you about a crush." I finally broke the silence with a flat comment that Jack could only shrug to.

"I didn't like you the moment I saw you. Instinct, I guess. That was the best time to do something about it, and ask the questions I needed to."

"By attacking me?" I lifted a brow and he laughed.

"Would you have told the truth? You seem like the type that I needed to get the drop on."

"Well, well. Nicely played, Jack. Handsome and clever. My, my, what a threat you must be to anything with a postal code." I had underestimated this man, and I would not being doing so again. I smiled my best smile, one I knew had swayed millions and I sent out just a bit of that flavorful thought adjustment. I projected myself to be harmless, and good, and all things benign.

I was surprised to make the man blush, but he did while he lifted one hand to touch at the back of his head sheepishly. "Eh, I get around."

"Please don't tell the Doctor." I blurted suddenly, sounding desperate with a frown tugging my lips down while I smiled in my head.

He looked at me for a long moment, before he nodded once, "I won't tell the Doctor."

I felt a thrill of victory down to my toes, but he continued with a stern look that would have been scary if I didn't have the Doctor's steely gaze to compare it to.

"I don't like you. We can call a truce, as long as you know that. I'll have my eye on you."

How perfectly to plan. I smiled, and I took the offered hand, giving a firm squeeze and a shake, "Oh, Jack. But which parts will you have your eyes on?" I laughed out loud as I slipped my hand away, and turned to lift the knife from the sink, sliding it into my pocket.

As I slipped from the washroom, with soft soled steps behind me, I knew exactly which pieces of me that Jack had his eyes on.

-TBC-


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: Master's POV. First Person. It starts to get weird from here on out.

Warnings: Language. Jack is a liar.

Rewrite

'Chapter Four'

The walk back to the console room was a longer one. I took a left, when Jack took a right, and a wall had come up between us. I laughed at this, and felt the tickle in my mind that let me know the TARDIS was doing all she could to help me along. Alone with myself at last.

The Doctor was on my mind. The spirit of the man, as well as the fleshy bits that still stood in the console room. The places he touched me, like my lips and my neck were still on fire, as if ice could burn. I felt chilled to my core, and shaken and pale and weaker than I had been in a long time.

I couldn't place this feeling I had bubbling up in my chest but it felt almost like hopelessness. Loathing and fear and dislike and anger at the nosey Captain. My fingers gripped tighter around the blade in my pocket, gripping the hilt until my fingers ached and I nicked myself on the edge of the blade.

The pain pulled me back, and it was as if a veil had been lifted. Suddenly, I could see again, and everything was sharp and clear and my mind was like a razors edge. Pain helped, apparently, but what did it help with? I shook my head to clear these thoughts as I finally stepped into the console room looking relaxed and perfectly at ease.

"You look wonderful, Prince!" Cried the Doctor with his hands thrown up in the air. He was grinning like a fool as he came to the stairs leading up, and taking them two at a time to get a better look at me.

His hands were soft and gentle as they slid over my shoulders, and down the front of my blazer lapels, feeling how everything fit so snuggly upon me. I was reminded of the icy hands of this Doctor's counterpart, and how they were entirely different. The Doctor's hands were warm, and brought me something close to comfort.

The Doctor I brought with me, the one I had killed… His touch did not inspire warmth or comfort I thought. It only brought a strange sort of coldness.

I smiled at the brunette, "Thank you. Everything fits like a glove."

He looked me over with a worried gaze, inspecting for something, "What was all that screaming about? Are you alright? You've still got blood all over you…"

I laughed and nodded few times, "Of course I'm alright. I'm just, ah…"

"He saw a bug." Jack interjected from down below. I wondered when he got there… The Doctor looks to Jack with a hefted brow.

"A bug?" He asks, as if he doesn't believe it.

"Yep. Big one! Prince is _terrified _of bugs, aren't you blondie?"

"I…" How else to explain myself? I couldn't exactly say 'Hey, I killed you in the future, so now you're haunting me in the past. Gave me a fright when I just saw you' Saying it in my head sounded strange enough… "Yes. Enormous insect, right after I got dressed. I wasn't able to wash the blood off."

The Doctor looked at us both, as if we were the strangest things, and Jack and I shared a look. For a moment, I would have called him my ally. "Bugs…? Are you sure? The TARDIS is generally a bug free zone, you know. Especially big bugs."

"I am positive, Doc." Jack said this easily as he stood at the other side of the console, keeping himself busy.

The Doctor looked between us again before he turned around and trotted back down the stairs. "Alright. Well. You!" And he spun around to point at me, and I saw a flicker in his eyes.

I knew those expressions as well as my own. Even with a different face, the way he moved it would always be unique to the Doctor. I watched the way his brow stayed half crooked even as his lips began to slowly curl into that stupid grin. Clever man…

"Pick a place. Any place! A place you've been, a place where you've always wanted to go! Present, future! Maybe a place from your past?" And those clever eyes looked right through me, and for a moment, I felt a thrill of fear and excitement that he had found me out. That he knew who I was, and the fun could finally begin. It was always fun to act my way around the Doctor with the many faces that I had in my youth, but the crowning glory was when he found it was me and it too late.

I supposed that there would be no 'too late' in this instance, as I wasn't trying to thwart him. … But, what I failed? What if 'too late' applied again, but this time to me? I shook myself as I came out of my daze, to stare back down to the Doctor. My strange little trance didn't help my cause, I could tell.

"Ah. Well, take me somewhere… open. Some where I can see a sky for miles, and plains until forever." For whatever reason, I wanted to begin a dance. Perhaps I was bored, or maybe I wanted to spice up my time in the past with friendly riddles. I described a very special place from my past, and I wondered if he would think of the same one.

"I think I know the perfect place." He said after a moment, suddenly looking excited as he spun on his heel and began to circle the console slowly, his fingers flying every which way, "Talafa, Plain of Winds….let's make that…present day… Oh, you're in for a treat!" And he brought his hand down on a big round button.

The TARDIS shook and jarred and I groaned as my body was shaken about as I gripped the railing in front of me. It was hard to keep my feet under me, but after a moment, the rocking of course change subsided, and I was able to walk down the steps to the console, standing close enough to touch it. I could have laughed when I heard the place we were going to…

"Sounds like something I could eat." Jack spoke idly, not looking up from whatever he was doing. I suspected he was simply trying to seem busy, only to observe.

The Doctor laughed, "Well, if you like multicolored grass, and ancient tree bark, and a gust of flesh ripping wind to wash it all down with."

"I think I'll pass, Doc. I'm on a 'keep my skin' diet. What's so special about this planet, anyway?"

"There is a single thing on this planet, so large you can see it from orbit, and that thing is a tree. The Untouched Tree. It's one of the only things on this plain, other than the grass. There are wind storms; some of the worst I've ever seen that tear across this place, strong enough to ripe the skin off of your bones, and this tree never moves. Its roots are so deep into the ground that the natives say that it's what the planet is made of. Roots of the great tree. The Plain of Winds is where the tree sits, and it's the most dangerous part of the planet, because of the wind storms that tear through." He gave a solemn nod, "Also, it's sentimental." He added this after a moment of silence as an after thought.

"If it's so dangerous to be there, how are there natives?"

I almost laughed at the look the Doctor gave Jack. Annoyed, and as threatening as he could manage. "There used to be mountains, but the winds have crumbled them over the years to rolling hills, and the people live there…Though we won't be visiting. Flesh eaters and all… Anyway! We should be touching down in the Plain of Winds in about…fifteen minutes."

As fingers flew across the console, the Doctor's eyes stayed on my face or at least my figure as I wandered lazily around the console, examining a few things that I never got a chance to see up close. He had changed the control room interface since last I was inside; I appreciated the more modern look a little more than the…blandness of the old. I had a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach that the Doctor was on to me.

If he was, though, I wondered why I wasn't already hogtied and stuck in a secure room somewhere. The War had changed the Doctor, in ways that I was only beginning to see. There was a ruthless streak in him that wasn't there before. He was a man who didn't give second chances, a man who would extinguish your life with a grim look and a whispered apology.

I had known the Doctor nearly all of my long life, herer and there, though I never feared him as much as I had now; at his mercy, on his ship, and with that new coldness in his eyes. I wondered how deep in I had gotten myself, and if it was even possible to crawl my way out. I was an excellent liar, and a wonderful actor, yet all of my tricks seemed to have shifted to sand… I felt jumbled on the inside, as if nothing made much sense.

To tell the truth, nothing really did make sense to me. There were… Many variables in my head to sort through, and like icing on a rather confusing cake, there were the drums. They were quiet, now, but the more I thought the more the echo grew louder, and louder, and louder. I have a groan, and pressed a hand to my head, just as I felt the TARDIS give a lurch, and the 'fwump' of landing.

"And we have arrived." Grinned the Doctor as he powered down a few things, and he looked me right in the eye as he locked the TARDIS to this particular point in time. Silly man. As if that would stop me if I was determined… Even if I wasn't determined, I was sure I could hack my way through an old Type 40.

I returned his look with a smirk, and a bow of my head. "I'm excited to see the surface."

Jack snorted before the Doctor could respond, "If that's excited, I worry for you."

I batted my eyes to the man, placing a hand on my chest, "Oh, my. Already concerned for my well being, Jack?"

I gave a bark of laughter as he only rolled his eyes and gave me his side profile, though I could see the smirk playing on his lips. He didn't rise to my bait, and I commended the Captain for that.

"Enough, _children_." The Doctor flicked his eyes between us, taking a stern tone. "I can already tell I'm gonna have problems with you two."

"Is it too soon to say he started it?" I asked innocently, as Jack gave me a flat look.

The Doctor waved a hand quickly, "Zip it! Are you able to walk, Prince?" He turned patient eyes to me, and I gave a nod.

"Well, I can't." Jack, who was standing, interjected.

The Doctor and I looked at the man for a moment, and I'm sure our faces both looked puzzled. The Captain shrugged, "What? I banged my shin. It hurts. You two go have fun with skin ripping wind."

"O…kay…" The Doctor said slowly, before he gave a quick nod, "Alright! Let's go, Prince!" And as soon as the Doctor turned away, Jack caught my eye, and he winked. I couldn't help the laugh that bubbled into my throat as I turned on my heel to follow the Doctor out of the TARDIS doors. Idiot.

Stepping out of the TARDIS doors was almost like stepping into the past. It had been eight hundred years or more since I had placed my feet on the Plain of Winds. More than eight hundred years since I came to this very place, to this very tree with the man that stood beside me. Eight hundred years since I cast away the name of Koschei and chose the name Master, and my sweet Theta and taken the name of Doctor.

Eight hundred years for us, anyway. I didn't remember the point in time we came here last, but here we stood again, in the sort of present. Stepping out into knee high grass, I could only smile as I looked around at a world I hadn't seen in ages.

The plains went on for miles, and miles, covered with tall grass all in the pastels of Easter; lavender, and green, and pink and blue, all woven together or growing in patches here and there. The winds of the plains curled across the grass, making the tops dance, and sway as if the fields were beckoning us back into the memory.

The sky was the color of orange sherbet, and broken only by fluffy clouds of pink and blue, clustering together and then separating in curling tendrils like cotton candy and a single large sun shone in the sky, with a smaller lavender moon on the horizon. This was one of the most beautiful places I had ever seen. We had called it the Candy Planet before the Doctor had found out the name.

My feet moved without my knowing, and they took me through the grass that tickled against my hands, and wrapped around my legs and making me nearly fall flat on my face. I lost all grace as I clumsily made my way to the tree, and if I would have been more mindful, I'm sure I would have seen the way the Doctor watched my face and reactions a little too close for comfort.

I was not an emotional man, by any means. Passionate, insane, daring, clever, but never emotional. It wasn't like me to let my eyes begin to flow, but as I touched the bark and felt the roughness beneath my hands, I felt a tear slip down my cheek. My fingers found gashes in the bark; letter carved from long ago. 'D' and 'M'.

"I came here… So long ago, longer than I can think about, with a very dear friend." The Doctor began to speak as he came closer to me. I could hear him at my back, and with each word and step, I heard an echo of the drums.

"I had just … found the TARDIS, and I was taking her on one of the first test runs, and I brought a friend." The Doctor paused as he came to stop beside me, watching as my fingers fell away from the letters.

"We picked names that day. Names that we would call ourselves by forever. I chose the name Doctor, to help people."

I could almost see our phantom forms running through the grass, tripping and tumbling and laughing. The drums began to beat louder; no longer the soft echo but the full pounding force right against the front of my skull as if my brains would burst.

"And he chose the name Master. Funny boy, he was. Just like me, and exactly opposite at the same time. He went a little strange, you see, and I had to leave him behind. I wanted to save him…" As the Doctor spoke, I felt his hands settle onto my shoulders just as the drums exploded from my ears to make my vision grey over.

I knew I was sinking to the ground, but I couldn't see anything, even with my eyes wide open and panic began to flood me as I felt my knees hit the soil. Breaking down was bad enough, but breaking down in front of the one man I was trying to lie to seemed to unravel all of the careful things I had tried to accomplish in the last few hours.

"Shhh…" The Doctor crooned as his hands slid up to cup my temples, his fingers giving gentle pressure as he still stood over me. He gave my head a tug, until it rested against his thigh, and his fingers laced through my hair, almost like he was petting me.

"I might be in pain, but I am not a _dog_, Doctor." I snarled, and the surge of anger made the drums thrum even louder. Worse, and worse, and worse! I had never felt it this badly, even with the soothing touch of the Doctor and the mental nudge of the TARDIS it was loud, and growing louder by the minute!

"Same mouth as always." He chuckled, and tutted me as he cradled my face against his leg, almost lovingly.

Could he have known? Did Jack open that irritating mouth of his? Would I be cast away again, left behind like before? My mind was spinning, dancing in circles and chasing its tail to the sound of the drums that resounded throughout my head. It was like the inside of me was empty, and all that filled me were the echo of the drums.

The very last thing I heard; the very last thing I felt before the darkness took me was the Doctor's laughter, and those gentle hands and then nothing ate at me again. The darkness washed over me, and I knew was silence, and the ghost of the Doctor's laughter.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: Doctor's POV! First Person. I had a lot of fun writing for the Doctor, so expect a few more chapters scattered through this story through the eyes of the 10th. Longer than I wanted, but I felt I needed to fill in some holes that the readers might have found. I might have actually made more holes…. Let me know what you think!

Warning: Language. I took some liberties with 'history'. The Master might seem a tad OoC.

Rewrite

'Chapter 5'

Seeing ghosts was difficult, even for the best of us. At my feet, with multicolored grass mixing with dirty blonde locks lay the biggest ghost of them all. Someone I thought I'd never see again. I would go so far as to say that I thought I had gotten rid of the burden, the thorn in my side, the wicked Master at my feet, but I had been wrong.

You are not alone. Those four words rang clearer than they ever had before, though there was an itch between my shoulders that told me that something wasn't quite right with this meeting. As if this wasn't how it was supposed to happen. I always expected a lot of things from the Master.

I expected sarcasm, and bitter words, and sneaky things. I expected my TARDIS to be gutted, and all of the dangerous and wonderful I had acquired over the years to vanish into the pockets of my nemesis.

There wasn't a thing in the universe that could have prepared me for this. I had always hoped that one day the Master would realize his evil ways, and he would want to be forgiven. In some stupid fantasy in the back of my mind, the place where I didn't want to be alone anymore, I always thought that this man would come back to me.

It seemed he had, but that made more questions than it answered. As I knelt beside him, listening to the pain filled whimpers, I could only smile as I carded my fingers through the short, ragged mess he called hair. I took a moment to examine the features of the Master, and I was pleased to see that this face didn't have a beard. It was strange to see him looking so young, but so worn. I wondered when the last time he slept had been…

Arms beneath his knees and around his shoulders, and I lifted the Master into my arms, turning to give one more look at the carved letters into the ancient Tree. Perhaps it had been underhanded of me to bring him back to this place, but I knew that it would be harder to act with his past staring holes into his head. I had expected something les…dramatic than the fainting spell I witnessed. It made me wonder what else was wrong in that twisted little head of his.

With the nudge of my toe, the TARDIS doors sprang open and I turned sideways to get us both inside without smacking any heads off of any door frames or handles. I was surprised to see Jack leap to his feet and nearly run to me, his hands immediately flitting over the Master's face and neck, checking his pulse and checking for fever, and bleeding. I raised my brow at this.

"Correct me if I'm wrong…But I'm supposed to be the Doctor-y one? And you're the one that puts them like this." I motioned to the unconscious man, and Jack snorted. He snorted at me!

"Doc! What did you _do_? He was sort of fine earlier! His pulse is so weak, I'd think he was dead if I wasn't looking for double!"

"Don't bark at me, Jack! I didn't _do_ anything. I think he had a bit of an emotional shock, is all… I'm sure he'll wake up eventually. You shouldn't underestimate a Timelord." I smirked as I shifted the Master in my arms, to stop the tingle of my limbs going dead.

Jack paused in his poking, and looked up to me from only inches away, "So he wasn't lying? He really is a Timelord?"

"He's not just any Timelord. He's the Master…" I spoke with a softer tone when I spoke about the Master, I always had, unless he was being… unwholesome. I narrowed my eyes after a thought, and turned them to Jack, "How did you know?"

Jack looked a little sheepish, "I might have bullied him a little."

My eyes grew wide, "You _bullied_ him? And you're still here?"

The Captain shook his head, "Yep. Smiled at me, and basically said thank you."

I gave a groan that ended in a chiding laugh, "Oh, ho ho, Jack. You're in for a treat when this one wakes up. He knows we know, now. There's no more reason to hide… He'll be very dangerous."

"Then… Why is he here?"

I smiled at the incredulous look that painted Jack's face, "Because I want him to be. Because the TARDIS wants him to be. I'm taking him to my room, would you put the girl on standby? We'll be here for awhile, since there's a wind storm rolling through."

"_Your _room? Let me come see where the Doctor sleeps…" Jack seemed to only hear the bits he wanted from that sentence as he approached me and purred.

I rolled my eyes, and laughed at his eagerness, "Does that approach work for you? Trying to corner people near their beds?"

Jack gave a grin that nearly made me blush, "Oh, Doc. Wouldn't you like to know." And he winked at me, and it made me laugh loud enough that the Master groaned in my arms. Without another word, I brushed past Jack and climbed the steps to the hallways.

The TARDIS sensed my eagerness, and she adjusted around me to make the most direct route to my room. As if by magic, I stood in front of thick blue double doors that were not unlike the doors to the front, but more rounded. They flung open at my touch, and I paused for a moment as I looked at the place I hadn't been for a very long time.

For most creatures, a chamber was a place to sleep, and rest. Mine was a sanctuary. With the thickest security anywhere, my domain was nearly impenetrable as it sat deep in the heart of the TARDIS. These doors sat at the end of a corridor, and tens of other rooms lay on either side. The smooth metal of some were bare, and others had letters cut into the steel. I had nearly forgotten about this stretch of hallway, since Jack had never really wanted a room of his own, preferring the console room instead.

Stepping inside was like stepping through a web as the TARDIS' telepathic field surged into my mind and found out exactly how I wanted my chambers to look, and in a blink of an eye it was done. Everything was a bit messy, with my work bench shoved into a corner and failed and unfinished projects sat overflowing onto the floor like a tide of sinister wires and metal. The corner opposite my work bench held my personal books, the ones I wanted close at hand, and not in the Library. Three shelves sat on the wall, jam packed with books and scrolls and dust and little bits of precious things I had collected over the years and through time. A squashy looking chair sat in the middle of a tide of scrolls, well worn and well sat.

Between the two curious places in my life, sat one thing ore curious and nearly foreign to me. My bed. Large enough for five of me, and four poster with dark wood and cerulean colored covers and sheets. This was part of me that was rather perplexing.

This bed had been here since I found my ship, and it had never changed, not once. In these rooms, the TARDIS had the ability to pull from your mind what you needed, and wanted. Favorite colors, patterns, the way a thing feels, or smells. The TARDIS could produce, nearly spec for spec, whatever you wanted as long as you were in the room designated yours. Or, you were me of course. As much as I thought, or yelled, or raged at the old Type 40, that bed remained, and I would admit that I had grown very used to it.

The Master felt heavy in my arms as I moved to the four poster, and laying him a top fluffy quilts and comforters. I watched his chest rise and fall gently, though I had no idea how long he would be sleeping, so I had better move quick.

Falling back into my lap after so many years was a little abrupt, but I was still prepared for the other Timelord. I hummed to myself as I moved around my room, gathering shiny metal things, and little discs and orbs and a thick band of leather I had acquired on a strange planet, full of dreams, from a flaming giraffe. Arms full, I found an open corner on my work bench, and dug my sonic screwdriver from my pocket, and I set to work.

As much as I would have loved to trust the Master, and give him free reign of my ship, I knew that this would be a terrible idea. No matter the love I held for him in my hearts, I knew he was a dangerous man, and one I couldn't trust. The thought left me frowning as I began to fasten the little silver discs to the leather strip. I had always allowed myself to love the Master, because I knew he would be around for as long as I was. I knew he wouldn't allow himself to be killed off. I also knew that if he did die, he wanted it to be at my hands.

Though, loving the rabid beast did have its disadvantages. There was a spark and an electric sizzle as I fastened the final disc onto the leather strip. Five in total, it looked like a studded bracelet if you were unfamiliar with the discs of a portable electric field. The orbs were next, and this bit of installation was far easier.

I began around my work bench, sealing it off from the Master all the way around. It wouldn't do for him to get into a project and blow my ship up though I was sure he could do that with a bit of string and a tea kettle. I had over a hundred small silver orbs, and I only needed about five per area I wanted the Master out of.

There was a groan behind me, just as I lay three orbs at the door and I turned around with my arms full of silver, and I grinned at the figure on the bed that was groaning and slowly sitting up. I made quick work of finding a leather satchel, and dumping the orbs into it and setting it on my work bench.

"Well, good morning, sunshine. How do you feel?" I asked gently, coming to the foot of the bed with my hands folded neatly in front of me.

"I hate when you call me that." Was the groaning, snarling response and I heard him give a hissing gasp as he covered his eyes with his hands. "What the hell did you do to me?"

"Invoked an emotional response, I'm assuming. Did you really think you could hide from me, on my own ship?" I watched as the Master froze and the gears began to turn in his head. He was quiet for a long moment, those now honey colored eyes staring fixedly at the bit of sheets he was twisting between his fingers.

"Perhaps. I'm sure I would have, if it hadn't been for Jack." The blonde scowled darkly, and snorted.

"Jack didn't say a word to me, you know. I knew from the moment I saw you; from the moment I tried to poke around in your head. I felt that fire; you're the only person I know who can do that." I paused to laugh, "Besides, you're Timelord. I can feel you."

The Master finally lifted his eyes to me, looked confused, "Feel me?"

I opened my mouth to explain, and then paused. "Can you really not feel the ebb and flow of a fellow Timelord?" I asked quietly as I came to sit on the edge of the bed. He drew his limbs towards him, wrapping long arms around his legs and pulling them tight against his body.

The Master scoffed, "Oh, don't sound so surprised _Doctor." _ He bit sarcastically, "I can feel, or hear anything past these sodding drums in my head."

I gave a slow nod, "The Tear… That's what happened to you?"

The Master gave a bark of broken laughter that made my hearts ache, "You think I just went batshit, and started hearing things? In the history of our people, how many have just… Gone insane?"

"Melvin the Insane?"

"He doesn't count! And that's _one._ One in our terribly long history that has just…up and gone crazy. I would have hoped that you had a higher opinion of my brain chemistry than that, Doctor." He feigned hurt, and I could only roll my eyes as I stood again, shoving my hands in my pockets and pacing.

"Stranger things have happened, Master. Like you, being here. You don't feel right…"

The Master laughed, and shook his head as he slowly began to uncurl from the bed after I had moved. "Oh, Doctor. Can't get anything past you, can I? I wonder if you're this clever all of the time…"

"Well you just might find out if you don't start talking. It's a big TARDIS, Master. I could put you places I'd never go near again."

I watched the blood drain from his skin, and his throat convulse as he swallowed past the fear I saw rising in his eyes at the idea of being caged. Being trapped was the Master's worst fear, which I knew of anyway. Putting him in a little box with no way out and tossing away the key was his idea of a nightmare when we were children and fears as such usually didn't go away with age.

"I… Doctor, I can't tell you. It would tear a hole in space, or something. Just accept that I'm the Master, and I am here now." He spoke stiffly, with his chin up and I laughed at him.

"You know that I am not one to accept anything. Especially something my arch nemesis tells me."

"Oh, Doctor, you _wound_ me. Yes—I… I think my hearts are breaking." The Master gave a melodramatic wail as he clutched at his chest and fell over onto the sheets with a soft sound.

I laughed at that, and shook my head, "Don't be so hurt. Master. You would do the same thing if you were me… What part in time do you come from?"

"You're so clever, Doctor. I still won't tell you—nope! My lips are sealed." And he pantomimed zipping his lips shut.

I couldn't help but laugh at my old friend and his antics. He really hadn't changed too much, but I saw the sickness in his eyes, spreading to all corners of his mind and I knew that these drums would end him. I knew that one day, it would all be too much and the Master would disappear forever. Unless I could save him, and saving him would require me trapping him first.

"Fine. Now, shut up and give me your wrist." I rolled my eyes as I came back to stand beside the bed, holding my hand out to him.

"Why?" He asked with distrust dripping from his voice. His eyes were skeptical as they looked me over from head to toe, and I watched him narrow his eyes at my face.

"Because I want to eat your arm—Just give me your bloody wrist!"

"No! I will not! Is this how you make friends, Doctor? Threatening them with cannibalism? Oh, I bet you have the best parties." He snapped back at me, crossing his arms firmly over his chest. "No."

I sighed heavily. I didn't want to have to do this, wrestle with the Master to install this device onto him. I cursed myself for not doing it when he was sleeping… I had hopped he would be out for longer, but I suppose there was no rest for the wicked.

"This can be done easily, Master. Or I can call Jack in, and have him hold you down. He's much stronger than he looks."

"Oh? I'm not sure if you remember be, Doctor, but I'll snap his neck if he gets close enough to touch me." I knew he was bluffing by the way he held his head.

"You go right ahead, and break his neck. I hear he had you in a tricky position earlier. What happened to breaking his neck then, hmm? I don't want to ask again. Wrist. Now."

I watched the Master wrestled with this command inside his head. I thought this was a little strange, since he usually held all expressions at bay with a careful smile and steely eyes. Patience was something I had aplenty, so I simply stood with my arms crossed over my chest while I waited for the Master to make his decision. I watched his brows furrow, and his eyes took on the shine of pain as he lifted a hand to grip at his head, groaning softly as he doubled over to shove his face into the comforter of my bed.

Before I could move, the Master had extended his left arm, and his words came out muffled, "Don't you dare try and baby me like one of your stupid little companions. Just put it on."

"Well…" I said with a slight smile as I snapped the leather strip around his wrist and sonic'd it together. I gave it a tug to test it. "Wonderful. You can rest here for now, until I move you to another room. I don't suggest trying to touch anything past the point of these." And I held up three small silver orbs, one between each finger.

The Master lifted his head to look at me, and he scoffed, "I don't want to look for your marbles, Doctor."

"As I was saying…" I interjected quickly, speaking over the Master's chortling, "The discs on your wrists react to the orbs, and it will give you quite the shock."

The Master snorted as he swung his feet over the bed, and stared at me with all the irritation he could muster, "You think a little zap will keep me from trying to escape?"

"The 'little zap' will stop your hearts, Master. Please don't tempt it… I'd like to keep you around." Selfishly, of course. No matter how I looked at it, I wanted the Master to stand beside me because I was as selfish as he was.

"What, as a prisoner? A pet?" The Master gave a bark of laughter that ended with a broken chuckle, "Oh, Doctor. You beautiful fool." He shook his head, almost sadly as he dropped his eyes to the floor.

"As a friend…" The words caught on my tongue, and came out in a soft whisper as I turned on my heel and stepped from the doors. I didn't look back as I let them shut behind me. I did not pause as I heard the soft 'wait' and footsteps behind me, no. I couldn't.

I prayed the Master wouldn't call my bluff on the electric current that held him at bay as I traveled back to the console room. It wouldn't really kill him, and I knew that, but I really had nothing else to try and tie the man down with, except real rope, and I figured that the Master was clever enough to untie a few knots.

When I reached the console room, I found Jack in the pilots chair with his feet propped up upon the control panel. His eyes were close, and his arms were folded behind his head, fingers laced, and he looked as if he was sleeping but I knew better. When he heard my footsteps, he cracked a bright blue eye open to peer at me.

"Any luck, Doc?"

I shook me head, not looking at the Captain as I sank down in the seat beside him. The man patted my shoulder lightly, "He'll come around."

"I hope so." I nodded again, staring off across the control room and into nothing. I settled my elbows on my knees and hunches over, my hands tangled in each other as I thought very hard about the Master locked away in my bedroom.

Careful, and cunning, I knew the Master had given up far too easily. He submitted to me with only a bitten remark and slight agitation. This perplexed me. This was a man who became a snake to crawl into the heart of my TARDIS, and now he was back on the very same ship, willingly handing me the leash to his collar, so to speak.

I stood, and I felt Jack's eyes on me as I paced back and forth while I chewed on my thumb, worrying the nail between my teeth. After awhile, my fingers began to snarl through my hair, making it wilder than ever and still I couldn't find a reasonable explanation.

Then, the idea smacked into so suddenly, I felt a fool for not having thought of it sooner.

"Yes! Brilliant!" I shouted, and Jack nearly jumped out of his seat.

"What! What is it?"

"Ever been to a little planet called Vooloothoo?" Jack stared at me blankly so I continued on, "Home of the Thoolians! Sharp teeth, but some of the best psychics and soothsayers in the Rose Galaxy." I paused for a moment, and I felt my hearts begin to crack again as blonde hair and brown eyes filtered through my vision. I shook my head and then turned to grin at Jack.

"Fantastic little place, and they have a Festival on about right now. I'm a favorite there; long story and lots of running."

"I don't get it, Doc."

"The Head Oracle can read the Master for me. I don't need to ask him a single question, I just need to take him to her." My grin grew larger, and I clapped my hands together turning to the console, and running my hands over the buttons.

"Isn't that…cheating, or something?"

I laughed, "All is fair in love and war." Was the simple response as I punched in the coordinates. "We can't leave for…looks like a while still. A day, maybe less on account of the storm. I'm sure I said this before, but get comfy, Jack. We'll be awhile."

Jack stretched his arms over his head, groaning as he did, "Well, I'll be right here." He slumped down, and crossed his arms about his chest and let his eyes slip shut, "Wake me up if you need me, and try not to do anything I wouldn't." Jack paused, and then cracked an eye open to peer at me. "I don't trust that guy, Doctor."

I turned to look at him with my brow perked as the tone of his voice struck my interest. "I mean, I do, and that's why I don't. When I first saw him, I hated him; instant distrust. I wanted to throw him in a tiny cell somewhere to rot."

I felt my face thin out and grow colder as Jack spoke of caging the Master like a creature, though I said nothing, and let him continue.

"Don't look at me like that—I called you first. All I'm saying is that I think it's a little strange. Doc, I lied for him, impulsively, because it seemed like the right thing to do. I was worried about him when you brought him in! Worried! I don't do things like that for people I hate."

My brows furrowed and I thought for a moment with my fingers at my chin, "Did he touch you in any way?"

Jack rolled his eyes, "Well, yeah I told you I had him pinned to a doorframe. We touched a lot…. Not like that!" He added quickly upon watching my eyes widen to the size of saucers.

"You manhandled him?! Are you _mad_? You said you bullied him, not tried to assault him!"

I watched Jack roll his eyes at my incredulous expression, "It's the same thing for me."

I let out a heavy sigh and moved to stand directly in front of Jack, with my hands held in front of me. "I need to poke around."

"Oh, Doctor. You should have just asked…" Jack teased as I let out a sigh and closed my eyes. I took a cleansing breath, and then reached out to place my hands on Jack's temples, projecting myself into the corridors of his mind.

It took a moment of searching, and flipping through mental pages and delving elbow deep into things I'd rather not see, I finally found it. Hidden in memories long past was the little seed of influence the Master had planted. The subtle signal that told the subconscious 'I'm harmless'. Between phantom fingers, I plucked the idea from Jack's memories and snuffed it as it never had existed. Things began to fall back into place as I severed the link between us, pulling my hands away.

Jack opened his eyes, looking a little dazed, "That always feels really nice…" He slurred sleepily.

"Take a nap. I have some things to look into."

I touched his shoulder on my way past, just as he nodded off, and smiled as I felt his mind at peace. I felt a certain fondness for Jack that was hard to explain, even though I knew he was… wrong. I was happy to help give him his mind back, and protect it from the Master's future onslaught that I knew would come again.

Both companions were taken care of for now, and off to the library I went to fall into a dusty pile of books.

-TBC-


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: This chapter took a little bit longer to write than anticipated, but I hope you all enjoy it! Let me know what you think about my antagonist!

Warnings: Confusion.

Rewrite

'Chapter Six'

It took some time for the intensity of the drums to pass after the Doctor had left. I stayed curled up in my tight little ball, biting my cheek to stave the whimpers that threatened to slip past my lips. As the pain began to leave my head, I took a moment to think, and as I thought this, I thought I would have plenty of time to think in the days to come.

I really couldn't believe my terrible luck. After careful planning and well chosen words, he finds me out because I faint. Of all the things I could have done, I fainted like a girl at the sight of blood.

Though, that comparison wasn't too far off… I couldn't explain the feeling that burst into my head upon seeing something so old, and so full of sentiment. I had wanted to go there, I had even asked for it. Nothing could have prepared me for the onslaught of the drums and the emotions surfacing from places in my head that I was sure had been filled with the sickness I knew I had.

I was also bothered by the fact that the Doctor had carried me around like a rag doll before depositing me in his room, to sit with all his other trinkets. I skulked and I scowled, and I did not leave the bed. I stretched out across the blue sheets, making sure to put my shoes on the Doctor's pillow. It was petty, but it made me feel a little better.

The nerve of that pompous man! Every thought related to the Doctor that drifted through my head made me growl, and shred cerulean sheets between angry fingers. After a time, breaking his bed things wasn't enough, so I stood. There was an energy humming through me that I could only describe as anxiety as I began to pace. I stalked the room in small, tight circles as I avoided the silver orbs that lay around the ground.

When I approached the Doctor's desk with its little bubble of protection, I paused only inches from it. He had said it would stop my hearts, though the vibrations on my skin from this close did not hint to something deadly.

I took a chance, and moved to shove my left hand through the barrier and I was met with a painful zap that stole the breath from my lungs. I fought to bring my hand back to me; it was like trying to pull my hand from a vat of something thick, and clingy. Like peeling wet fabric from my skin. I felt the current cling to my arm as the bursts of energy singed my hair and ate at my skin. The scent of burning hair and flesh filled my nostrils with its unpleasant scent as I finally managed to free my arm.

The skin was angry red, and mottled and the more delicate skin was brown, or the black of ash. I felt my eyes grow wide as I carefully flexed my fingers, watching the skin bend and strain and creak as if it were plastic. It hadn't stopped my hearts, but it certainly was painful, though it was a distant pain.

I clutched at my arm while I wondered about the injury I would sustain from stepping through the barrier entirely. I had seemed stuck, as if I were held in place and suspended in the current. I didn't think it would be a pleasant time… As I moved to his bookcase, I thought that maybe I could trick the Doctor into stepping into his own cage, but he would need to be wearing my fitted adornment. Perhaps I could slip a disc into his pocket?

I chuckled, and shook my head as I reached for a thick volume from one of the higher shelves. I blew the dust across the cover, and ran my fingers across the old Gallifreyan embossing. It had been a long time since I held something from home in my hands. I had my own books, once upon a time, though many were stolen, and some simply lost. I was surprised to see a squashy looking chair tucked into the corner, dark enough that I nearly missed it in the shadows.

I took a seat and settled into the comfortable chair, giving a little groan as my body began to relax, and things began to ache. I opened the book across my lap, and using my unharmed right hand, I began to flick through pages covered in the circling and graceful Gallifreyan script.

I realized quickly that this was an old nursery book. Full of old stories about some of the Greats, and tales of creatures that hadn't existed in a long time. I chuckled to myself as I turned the pages, my memory tumbling back to when I was a child, and everything was still new and fresh and these stories were like the word of the gods.

Time is a funny thing. Its ebb and flow is constant, though at times it seems to pass much more quickly than you like. I wasn't sure how many hours I had sat, or pages I had read. I wasn't sure when it was that my eyes slipped shut, but I knew when they opened.

There was a rustling noise, near my head and it took a moment for my brain to click on, and remember where I was. I cracked an eye open, and nearly swallowed my hearts as I was faced with the navy blue of the Doctor's suit. My eyes sprang open fully, and I leaned the opposite way, staring up to the Doctor with a strange look.

"Oh! Hello, there." He gave a small smile, having noticed my look. "I didn't mean to disturb you. Just coming in to grab a few books…" His smile grew as he noticed the story book in my lap, "That one was one of my favorites. Excellent choice."

I stared at him, narrowing my eyes a little in distrust. "I remember the Matron reading it to me when I was very small. Before the Tear." I watched his face while I spoke, and I noticed he wore glasses. I scoffed before I could stop myself.

"Pardon?" The Doctor arched one brow, and the effect made me scoff harder.

"I know you only wear those to look clever." I admitted that he did look rather smart in spectacles, but only to myself. I watched his cheeks flush slightly and he fixed me with a narrow eyed stare, lifting a hand to push his glasses up his nose, and I knew then that it was for show.

"Do you, now? Well, I happen to know that your face is a little unsavory." He spoke with his chin up, looking at me down his nose. I rolled my eyes at him, and waved a hand, my injured hand, towards him in dismissal. I watched the playful look turn into one of worry as he made a grab for my wrist.

His hands were like steel, and I could only hiss as he knelt, to bring the wounded skin closer to his face. The skin had begun to blister, and the skin was white where the worst burns were. Blisters had started to appear, and the skin had started to weep in places. I hadn't realized how itchy it was before he started poking.

"You could have been seriously injured." He spoke gravely, eyes glued to my arm.

I scoffed, "But I wasn't. That's the whole point, isn't it?" I kept my eyes away from his, because I already knew the look in them.

"Why couldn't you just believe me? Why did you have to tempt it?"

"Because you lie, and it's who I am." My eyes found a spot just over the shoulder of the Doctor to stare at. Anywhere but his face.

As I thought about the face that was so close to mine, it seemed to summon the figment to something semi-solid. I watched that giant grin from across the room, and I felt myself growing pale as the ghostly visage of the Doctor began to become clearer, and more solid. It wasn't long before I could hear his footsteps padding across the ground, and I worried that the real Doctor could hear it, too.

"Are you…alright?" I had been staring, and I hadn't noticed I had stopped. I didn't notice that I had been making small noises and speaking and scowling heavily.

"What? Oh, yes. Fine. Are you finished?" I asked hurriedly as the ghost began to pad towards us, his lips moving in speech.

'_What a mess you're in, Masty.'_ Why wasn't the Doctor reacting? He had to have heard that voice! It rang loud and clear, like bells resonating in my head, matching the drums beat for beat.

"I'd…Like to run some tests… Bandage you up." He was staring at me like I had grown a second head. My eyes flicked between the ghost and the Doctor, and the bespectacled man placed a hand across my forehead, frowning heavily. "You're burning up."

I could hear him, but I couldn't seem to respond. My lips were frozen shut and my eyes felt glued to the ghost as something long and slender appeared in its and. It swung the object at its feet, a slender rod or sorts, and then turned that giant terrible grin to me.

'_Worried? Oh, you can relax.'_ Chortled the misty Doctor as he approached the real Doctor from the back, the rod poised at his shoulder now, waiting for a chance to strike.

"No! No, no, no! Doctor!" I shrieked, and began to scramble to get out of the chair. I tore my hand away from the Doctor, and I felt skin split and the warm rush of blood, but I couldn't take notice of anything else. Anything but the misty image coming closer, and closer with that smile that promised terrible things.

'_You seem afraid, Master… Afraid of little old me? I told you I was here to help you help me, remember?'_ And he twirled that rod between his fingers as if he had done it all his life, '_Whatever needs to be done.'_

"No! You can't, you have to stop! This isn't supposed to happen! I have to save him!" Panicked words dribbled from my mouth as I begged and pleaded and the Doctor shifted his stance to stand directly in front of me with my wrists pinned to the arms of the chair by his hands. He was only inches from my face, close enough to feel his breath, though I could still see the image coming slowly.

"Master! You need to stop and tell me what you see!" His voice was sharp, and clear and demanding. I watched the misty from raise its weapon and all I could do was shout commands that I knew would be ignored.

"Move!"

The Doctor stayed stubbornly put, his face morphing into one of confusion, looking over his shoulder for the threat just as I watched the misty weapon dissipate as it sunk into his middle. I must have looked as bewildered as I felt. The ghost had vanished without a trace, or whispered word and I couldn't stop myself from gaping. My chest was heaving and I felt the sweat beaded on my brow. My injured wrist _hurt _from the pressure upon it, and I must have made a noise of pain, because the Doctor released me.

He stared at me with a calculating expression. One that said he was reading me like a book, and trying to figure out the meaning to everything I did. From his pocket he removed a handkerchief and began to clean the blood from between his fingers, all while locking eyes with me. Without permission, the Doctor grabbed for my wrist and began to dab at the burns that had split open.

I stared at the top of his head as it bent over my wrist to work, and I bit back the noises of pain as my eyes roamed around the room, looking for a hint of the phantom from before. As the puss and blood was cleared away, I saw the delicate skin of my wrist, smooth and unblemished where the blisters had been. I watched the angry red lines creep across my wounded skin like watching a flower try to bloom. Each time I looked back, it seemed worse than before. When the Doctor was done, I pulled my wrist back to me, cradling it against my chest in a posture of weakness.

After a moment of silence, the Doctor finally spoke. "Mind telling me what that was?"

He still knelt in front of me, and with the gentle words, his hand came to rest upon my knee. I stared into chocolate eyes, so full of warmth and understanding, and I simply couldn't trust it. I saw the phantom eyes, and heard the phantom voice resounding in my head.

'_Yes, you would mind very much.'_

"Yes. I would mind very much." The words tumbled from my mouth before I had a chance to stop it. I wanted to tell the Doctor; I wanted to talk until my tongue fell from my mouth. I needed to tell him so many things… And each time I tried to force the words, I nearly choked on the air around me.

The Doctor only shook his head sadly, and gave my knee a pat as he moved to stand. He reached over me again, to grab the book he had come for. "Alright… I'll leave you be for now. I'll be back in awhile to check on you… And I'd still like to run some tests. If you need me, give a thought to the TARDIS. She'll find me."

And with another gentle squeeze and soft footsteps, he was gone. I sunk into the chair when I heard the doors click shut, and I let my eyes slip closed as the tension began to drain from my body. I still felt anxious and twitchy and the pain in my wrist meshed with the pain of the rest of my body. I felt like I needed sleep. Or, maybe unplugging my brain…

'_No rest for the wicked, Master. I'm sure I've heard you say that somewhere a long the way.'_

Cool fingers curled around my shoulders, and my hearts leapt into my throat as phantom fingers kneaded into the taunt muscles of my upper body. I bit back the groan as his thumb ground into a particularly large knot, and I heard a chuckle and felt cool breath against my ear.

'_There we go… Relax, Master. We're going to take care of everything.'_

The chill from his fingers began to seep into my skin, and I felt cold where he touched me, even through the borrowed suit. "What… are we taking care of?" I spoke through the chattering of my teeth as my body began to try and shake itself apart.

My phantom counterpart paid no attention to my shivering, leaning further over my shoulder so his face was in my peripheral. I watched his lips curve into a smile, and we looked at one another from the corner of our eyes.

'_Everything, like I said_. _You'd be wise to keep your mouth shut about me, you know. It could ruin things.'_

I snorted at him, and tried to jerk away, though ghostly fingers kept me in to my place as if his corporeal form was made of steel. My hearts began to pitter-patter again as the panic began to flood my body, creeping like a frigid tide.

"Why? I came back to help him… You sent me back to help him."

And the phantom laughed, giving my shoulders a rough squeeze that made me wince.

'_You are very correct, though… Do you think he would believe you? If you told him what you see?'_

I opened my mouth to retort and then I stopped. The Doctor knew me and my history for mischief so I couldn't say for sure if he would believe me. I fought to think around the chill that was creeping slowly into my core, and my teeth clicked together so hard it nearly hurt.

"I-I th-think he would… P-possibly." I chattered. I tensed to stop the shaking, and as I did, I felt a sharp jab into the muscle of my shoulder as the phantom's fingers held me like a vice.

'_It would not be in your best… interest, Master. Believe me when I say this. Unlike my flesh-walking counterpart, I do not lie.'_

A shiver curled up my spine that had nothing to do with the chill of the phantom. There was a vicious tone in the ghostly Doctor's voice. A streak of malice that seemed better suited to myself than the seemingly gentle Doctor. After a moment, the hands on my shoulders eased, and the phantom patted my head absently, as one would a dog.

I ducked my head out of the way, and scowled at him and there was a moment of regret as he stepped in front of me and turned that piercing gaze to me, staring holes through my head. As terrified as I was from this ghost, I was too stubborn to back down. I lifted my chin arrogantly, and let the lines of my face fill with my displeasure.

"You seem…" My eyes flicked across his body as words popped into my head.

'_Different? Vicious? Evil? Ooh, handsome. My, my, Master, the adjectives you think up for me.'_ He replied easily, taking the words right out of my mouth, and leaving me a little shocked. I opened my mouth to retort, and the phantom laughed.

'_No need. Of course I can read your thoughts; I'm in your head. Why do you think no one else can see me? Before you ask, my dearest double heart, yes. You're going crazy…Well, more so than you were before…'_

I rolled my eyes, and scoffed, "Of course you would say that. You're a figment of my insanity." Though I did not feel as confident as I sounded.

His eyebrows lifted into his hair line, and he nodded a few times, '_Clever, clever…'_

I was beginning to be annoyed. The fear was long past, and I simply ached and I wanted to sleep, per chance to dream about something other than being imprisoned. "Are you done yet?"

'_No respect… Anyway, the reason I came was to tell you that the Doctor is going to find out about you sooner than later. He's taking you to the Oracle.'_

"What?" I barked and narrowed my gaze to the phantom in front of me. "What are you talking about?"

The phantom shrugged, and turned his palms to face me, '_Don't kill the messenger—Oh, wait. You already did.' _He paused to chortle at my expense, _ 'I heard him talking to Jack about it… You need to stop him.'_

I did not speak, I only stared. My hands came to sit in front of me with my fingers laced together and I placed my index fingers at my lips, tapping a beat of four as I thought. The Oracle was a wizened old thing, and barely a threat to me. Physically, anyway. The Oracle did not lie; she couldn't. There was no way to explain to her that the things I saw needed to be kept a secret… I couldn't beg for her to keep my past away from the Doctor's ears, because she possessed the Tongues of Truth, which was a rather gruesome artifact.

"Would it be so bad for him to know that I'm here to help him? He knows I'm not from his present already."

_'You know the Doctor as well as I do.' _ I watched as the phantom closed the distance between us, extending a finger to touch at my forehead, '_He means to cure what's inside here, and that means me, too. Not just the drums. If I'm not here to help you, who will?'_

"I'm perfectly capable of helping myself. It would be a plus is he helped, wouldn't it? The drums are what drove me to steep my hands in his blood…" My eyes raked over the phantom's form, staring at the muted tones of the blood that still slowly dripped from the phantom, though there was no real blood this time. "Can you change your image?"

'_No. This figure is the last thing you saw before the TARDIS, and it hurts you the most. Though, I see a few good images of Lucy in your mind that might hurt a bit more…' _The phantom shrugged then, and gave another little chuckle as his hands hovered in front of my face. '_Help yourself? You can't even get out of this room. You're completely useless when you're trapped like a beast._'

I growled at him, and swiped a hand through the misty form in front of me, and it only aggravated me further that I couldn't lay hands on him and throttle him. I stood, then, and moved through the phantom and I felt a lump of ice begin forming in my gut as I passed through the ghost.

"Leave." I spoke with my back to him, facing the bed. I felt tired, and more worn than I ever had before. I had experienced many strange things but interacting with the ghost of my dead friend had to take the cake.

'_As you wish. But one more thing.' _ The phantom reached down to grab the wrist with the device. I watched as ghostly fingers touched it, and the leather band fell away as if it hadn't ever been fastened. '_See? You get by with a little help from your friends.'_

I didn't need to turn around to know he was gone. The room felt considerably warmer without the lurking presence, and the air felt cleaner as I inhaled deeply. I touched my wrist, rubbing where the leather had made indentations on my skin.

I was beginning to have my doubts about this phantom, though he was helping me escape… Or stall the Doctor from going to the Oracle. If I listened very hard, I could hear the wind howling across the plains outside of the TARDIS, and I knew we would be here for at least another day… A day seemed to be all I needed to properly sabotage.

I made sure to keep my thoughts behind my mental shield of fire as I approached the bedroom doors and pushing them open to reveal the long stretch of metallic hallway in front of me. I began to grin as the heels of my loafers made barely a sound as I stalked down the hallway, keeping my ears open for any sounds from Jack or the Doctor.

I didn't make it very far. I felt cold start to roll through me, and intense cold that felt like it was freezing my blood. There was a touch to the back of my neck, wet and frigid and then there was darkness that ate at the edges of my vision and my last thought was something along the lines of … Why me?


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: This fic is moving right along, in the strangest direction possible! I'd like to dedicate this one to MichaelaRBrown. Thanks for loving my angst!

Warnings: Dark imagery, cursing, ANGST

Rewrite

'Chapter Seven'

I awoke to bright lights, and a familiar silhouette. I groaned aloud and thought that this was not something I wanted to get used to.

"I feel like this happens too often." The words were hard to form and my mouth felt dry and stuck together. I tried to lift a hand to touch my throbbing head, but I couldn't. My eyes popped open and I shot up, or tried to. There was a hand on my chest, forcing me back down, and I found that both hands were bound to the bed.

"What the hell is going on?" I snarled, still squinting against the lights at the figure of who I could only assume was the Doctor.

"Just a precaution." The Doctor's voice was quiet, and his hands were gentle as they moved over my body and checked my vitals. There was a monitor beside the bed, giving off a low hum and beeping every so often. I tugged at the cuffs that bound me again and noticed a soft glow, and a stinging each time I tugged too hard.

"A precaution for what? Bondage? Doctor, you only had to ask…"

The Doctor scoffed at me, and I watched the outline lift up a hand, and there was a click and suddenly I could see again. My vision came back to me in broken bits, as if I was viewing a puzzle and I was missing most of the important pieces. I gave another groan, and tried my wrists one more time, as if the cuffs would have fallen off in the last five minutes.

"Your attitude isn't really helping you." The Doctor muttered as he stood beside the bed, staring at the monitor and tapping a few buttons occasionally.

"Oh, and this is? Being cuffed—painfully—to a bed, and you tell me it's my _attitude_?" I snapped at him as I struggled to sit up as far as I could. I took a moment to glance down at my bindings and I saw a thin and glowing band of purple that sank into a blocky bit of metal and a fine chain that connected the cuffs. I gave another tug, and yelped as the thin and glowing band burned my skin.

"Bollocks! Is this your subtle torture? Burning me until I give up?"

The Doctor ignored me again. He seemed to be very good at that, though I was not good at being ignored. I glared at the side of his head, and those stupid spectacles as he narrowed his eyes and leaned in closer to the monitor.

Maybe if I started with small questions… "Doctor? What happened?" I asked, as politely as I could while gritting my teeth against the low thread of constant pain that I felt pulsing at my wrists.

There was a long silence. Longer than I liked or would have expected from the good Doctor. It seemed like an eternity before he spoke to me again, though his eyes never found my face.

"You tried to escape."

Ah. Yes, I remembered. I chuckled lightly, "You know, I wasn't really trying-"

"Shut up." The intensity of those two words cut my sentence short, "I don't need a threat like you running around my ship. I tried to trust you. Tried to give you the space you wanted, and you lied."

"Doctor..." I tried for a gentle tone, but those eyes swung back towards me and all of my words were stolen from the look in twin pools. Contempt, distrust, pain and disappointment.

"No. No, I am done trusting you, Master. You'll stay right here, chained up to this bed like a dog until I figure out what…this thing is." And his eyes turned back to the monitor, his fingers tapping at the screen as if that would work in his favor.

"Kinky."

I knew from the tone in his voice that there was no begging I could do to get out of this. I had used up the good graces I had when I tried to stumble my way… Where had I been going? I could remember a tiny voice speaking around the drums… What had it said? I remembered pain, and then blackness, and I awoke chained to the bed. Sounded like a typical night for a Timelord, really…

"Could you tell me what's wrong, anyway? I'd like to know what's eating me from the inside out."

He scoffed at my comment and turned to face, swinging the monitor on its elbow hinge so I could better see the black and red and blue and purple scan of my brain. My eyes took note of the numbers and the readings, and I couldn't help but be a little pleased at seeing my brain with readings that were higher than normal, even for a Timelord… Though there was a spot… A small spot…

"D'you see what I do? That spot, right there on your hippocampus? It doesn't exist."

I stared at the Doctor's profile, with my brow lifted, "Excuse me?"

"It's not a mass, it's not grey matter, and it's not a tumor. It simply does not exist.

"Well, since I have the ability to process and recall my memories, Doctor, I think it does exist."

The Doctor shrugged, "I was only sharing what I've found, or…Haven't found. Truly remarkable…" He murmured as he nearly pressed his nose up to the glass of the monitor. "Have you lost any time? Memories, and what not?"

"Well, if I lost a memory, I wouldn't know I had it to begin with, would I?" I snapped, feeling a little more than anxious as the strange cuffs burned deeper into my skin.

The Doctor was quiet for a moment, "Okay, fair enough… Think about a memory." He asked as his hand came towards me. I stared at the appendage as if it were poison, and I tried to move away as best I could, but to no avail. His hand slipped behind my head, pressing against the swell of my skull. His fingers touched over a spot that felt both numb, and like fire, and it made me hiss, though I couldn't bring myself to speak, to tell him to stop.

After a moment, the pressure past, and I drew a cleansing breath. The Doctor seemed to not pay attention to my reaction, instead choosing to look over the monitor as he asked again, "A memory. Something strong."

I had thought to think about the rolling red fields of Gallifrey, though at the thought of red, another memory came to the front of my skull and I hadn't called it there. I had closed my eyes, and now I saw him on the back of my eyelids. The pale and bloody and smiling image of the phantom Doctor.

He looked more garish than before with sunken cheeks and great hollow holes where his eyes should have been that burned with sickly fire. The grin that stretched across his mouth was too wide for the brittle skin and his bones looked ready to tear through his skin, like brittle pages in a book. Though it was a memory, a smell began to invade my nostrils. The rank smell of rotting meat and clotted blood and of sorrow so bitter I began to choke.

'_Gotcha.'_ The figure winked at me, and even in my memories I couldn't escape the ghost of what I had done. I watched the figure wander through the blank slate of my memories as casually as a man in his own home might.

My lips had been sealed shut, and each time I tried to scream and choke on the air around me, it came out muffled as if the air was burning through my nostrils and igniting my lungs with the smell of decay.

I was lost in myself, and distantly I knew I was still strapped to the table, and that I was thrashing and choking and that my eyes were wide open, but I could not see anything but the cruel figure in front of me. The phantom approached me, and drug a hand across my cheek and my breath hitched as I felt something thick, and cold begin to roll down my cheek.

I watched as the Doctor began to rot in front of me, still grinning even when the skin of his cheeks began to slough off, and the smell became stronger.

'_Enjoying yourself?'_

His voice came out strong, and clear, and part of my brain knew that was wrong. I felt like a child, all tucked into bed and no one had checked for the monsters that I knew were there.

I fought to scream again, and all I could hear was his laughter, and suddenly I could see again. I felt hands on my shoulders, and I heard the Doctor's voice, the real Doctor, calling my name to try and bring me back from the edge of the abyss.

I drew my first breath, and it was ragged and deep and it made my lungs ache. I coughed, and cried, and wheezed and took gulping breaths through my mouth so I wouldn't have to smell that wretched smell that clung to the hairs in my nose as if the corpse was sitting right next to me.

The Doctor looked as shaken as I felt. The fingers of one hand rested on the back of my neck, while the other gripped my upper arm so hard it hurt. I made a noise, and the Doctor released me, as if sensing the pain I was in.

"I have never seen anything like that before in my life." He spoke with awe stringing his words together, and his eyes never left my face. I thought it a little funny, that he couldn't keep his eyes off of me now. Before, it was all he could do to look away.

I managed a smile, though it felt weak, "I do have a fantastic brain." I croaked, turning my head to cough again.

He shook his head, and reached up to grab the monitor, showing me the image of my brain. "That little spot of nothing expanded to cover nearly your entire brain. When it reached your brainstem, you stopped breathing, and… I couldn't wake you… What memory did you find?"

I heard fear creep into his voice at the end, and he looked lost as he stared at the monitor. What memory could possibly make the Master ache so much? I saw the question flicker across his eyes before he gave the monitor a shove and sent it back to the side of the bed. I watched him run his hands through his hair, twisting the locks between his fingers and I had the urge to lift my hand and make him stop.

Good thing I was chained up. I shook my head at his question, "That's none of your business, Doctor. If it helps, I tried to think of Gallifrey… And then my thought got side tracked."

Hijacked was more like it, but I still couldn't bring myself to tell the Doctor that I was being haunted by his ghost. It just didn't sound right, and it certainly didn't feel right. I watched him ponder, and eventually his hands fell away from his hair, and me removed the hand from the back of my neck, along with a flesh colored disc, about the size of my thumb.

I watched him tuck the little pad into his pocket, and then pass a hand over my wrists, giving a hiss and jerking his hand away as he touched the slender purple beam.

"Yeowch! Let me get Jack down here to uncuff you—I had no idea they were plasma… I'm sorry."

I couldn't stop myself, "_Plasma_ cuffs? Bloody—Are you _trying_ to do me bodily harm?! Why would you ever let Jack cuff me with anything in the first place!" I yelled as I strained my wrists against the cuffs, smelling the stink of singed hair and slowly burning flesh.

"Calm down! Stop yelling!" The Doctor shouted over me as he moved to the far wall, to a small panel with sleek buttons to the side and a screen about the size of my palm. He held a button down, and spoke into the monitor.

"Jack? You in the kitchen?"

There was a moment of silence as the Doctor waited patiently, flashing me a grin that was entirely inappropriate for the situation. The screen flicked then, and I saw a small image of Jack's face, mostly his eyes and his mouth.

"Yeah. You want anything while I'm down here? I found some blue stuff that's pretty good. Not sure what it is…"

I watched the Doctor shake his head, "No, ah…Could you come back to the infirmary? I need those cuffs removed from the Master."

"What?! Why! He tried to run off! You're asking me to let a dangerous psychopath loose on your ship. Doc, I just don't think—"

"Then don't think, Jack." The Doctor cut him off coolly and I felt my hearts give a little flutter, "I will take care of whatever happens…. Trust me."

How he managed to do it, I had no idea, but with those two simple words, Jack severed the connection with a soft noise, and the Doctor turned back to me. "You'll be free in a jiff… I really am sorry about that. I wanted you contained, but not like that."

"Oh?" I lifted a brow, "Not like how? Tied to a bed, or cuffed with something volatile?" Just then, I had a thought, "Doctor, why don't you sonic them undone?"

"Can't. Plasma and sonic doesn't mix."

"… Why?"

The shrug I received said it all. I wondered if he ever really knew what he was talking about… In no time at all, Jack was there, looking flustered and irritated as he brushed past the Doctor to reach for my wrists.

"Just so you know, blondie, I think you should stay right where you are." He gave me aggressive eye contact as he removed a small remote from his pocket, and pressed it against the little box that powered the thin beams. There was a whirring click and the cuff fell away. He did the same to my other wrist and as soon as I was free, I drew my hands to my chest and began to rub my wrists. I sat up and swung my legs over the cot, enjoying the feeling of being mobile.

I smiled at Jack, "Well, it's a good thing I never asked you for your opinion."

The Captain grumbled at me, and turned back to the Doctor. "I don't have anything else that'll hold him."

The Doctor gave him a critical gaze, "You have miles of rope and a box of handcuffs."

"… Not for that kind of binding, Doc." The man flashed a flirtatious grin, and winked and I had to stop myself from gagging. The Doctor found humor in everything, so he laughed, and clapped a hand on Jack's shoulder.

"Well, thanks for trying… Next time, though? Don't hurt my guests."

"No problem, Doc." And Jack left, with nary a comment. I, on the other hand, had many.

"Oh, I'm your guest? Goodness, Doctor, I would hate to see how you treat your prisoners." I drawled as I rubbed at my left wrist. It seemed to have gotten the brunt of the day.

"I don't take prisoners. Now!" He clapped his hands together, moving towards the infirmary door, and pausing beside it. "Come on. Up and at 'em. We're going to the Library."

I gave the brunette a strange look, tilting my head and doing my best to look like a puzzled puppy. It made him laugh, and I smiled in return as I waited for him to continue.

"I have research to do. And I can't exactly tie you up anywhere, and you'll get out of whatever room I put you in and I won't chance you getting loose and…blowing up my ship. In short, I don't trust you enough to let you out of my site."

Well. No words were wasted as I stood, and lifted my chin arrogantly. I smoothed down my lapels and adjusted my suit as I moved to step past him and out the door.

"Make sure you stand in front, or to the side. No more than three paces in front." I heard the whirring noise of his sonic device.

I scoffed at the command, and slowed my steps to walk beside the Doctor. A confused puppy, indeed…

-TBC-


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Note: A break from the Angst! Kind of! This one if for Kerry, because it's sweet. And for GuessWho, for being a loyal reviewer! Love, Love, Love!

Warnings: Fluff. Disgusting fluff. Maybe some OoC-ness.

Rewrite

'Chapter Eight'

There was a pool. I was sure that the Doctor had started to talk as soon as we made it to the library, to make up for the silence on the way here, but I really couldn't be bothered to listen.

There was a pool… In the TARDIS. In the Library, of all places. Not a single one of my TARDISes ever had a pool, or even large bathtubs. It made me wonder about the personality of this old Type 40. Thinking about her gave me a tickle at the edge of my mind, and I felt the old girl try and worm her way into the core of my psyche. I hadn't realized how loud the drumming sound was until the TARDIS silenced it.

I nearly swooned at the sudden sound of nothing in my head. I could hear my blood rushing, my hearts beating and the sound of my ragged breathing, and naught else. I marveled at this, and I was tugged from my thoughts by the Doctor clearing his throat and staring at me oddly.

I only lifted a brow, "Yes?"

The Doctor mirrored my expression, "You were talking to yourself."

Ah. "I was thinking aloud." I said shortly as I crossed my arms over my chest and observed the room that seemed to go on forever.

I kept my eyes away from the Doctor's form just long enough to know that he was laughing at me. I fought the urge to be flustered as I stepped closer to the edge of the pool, staring down into clear, fresh water.

"Why is your pool in the library?" I called across the silence, my eyes roaming to find the Doctor who was standing on the other side of the Olympic sized swimming pool.

I watched him shrug, "No idea!" He called back before he waved an arm towards me, beckoning me to the other side. I did not take direction very well, though I couldn't help but follow the suggested command as I took my time walking around the edge of the pool.

From the corner of my eye, I saw a flicker in the water; a pearlescent flash of color. When I turned my head to focus, it was gone. Mildly perturbed, I continued, though I couldn't help but feel as though I was being watched…

"Took you long enough." Muttered the Doctor with his back to me, and I fed the urge to reach out and flick the back of his ear while I scowled at his shoulders.

"It's a large pool, and if I recall, there is no running around pools." I replied over the Doctor's hissing and grabbing for his abused ear. He said no words about the flick, and instead shoved a rather large leather-bound book at my chest.

"Here. Hold this." The force knocked the wind from my lungs, and I looked down at the enormous book. The thing must have weighed twenty pounds or more, and the cover was embossed in the careful and elegant circles of the Gallifreyan script.

"You have an awful lot of books from home…" My eyes roamed up, and up, and up seeing familiar titles in a language that hadn't been spoken or written in years.

Narrow shoulders shrugged as he passed another thick book back to me. "I took a lot of things from home when I left for the War."

"Except me." The words came from my lips before I had a chance to stop them. Before I could even think, I spoke, and that was so unlike me I thought that maybe the phantom had a hand in this, though I knew it wasn't true. I rolled my lip between my teeth, and looked down to the floor, mentally kicking myself and still trying to shake the feeling that I was being watched.

Midway from reaching, the Doctor paused and slowly let his arms come back down to his sides with a thinner paper back between his fingers. I watched his shoulders slowly sink as he heaved a quiet sigh. I could taste his sorrow on my tongue. He shook his head and spoke, though he never turned to face me.

"If I knew… If I knew that you were alive…"

I wanted to touch him, to reach out and curl my arms around him to stave off the horrible loneliness and regret that oozed from every pore. This was not the man I had fought with before… This wasn't the same Timelord who I had worked so hard to destroy all those years ago. He was a sad shadow. I had seen it briefly in my own time; the aching in his eyes and the desperate need to cling to something familiar as he spiraled through space, always running.

I was not an emotional man, but the War had changed my oldest friend and enemy in ways that tugged at my hearts. It had changed me, too, and I had never lifted a finger to fight.

"No one knew, but the Council." I spoke softly, wrapping my fingers around the spine of the tomes hard enough to hurt. "They brought me back for the Time War. To be the perfect soldier. But, do you know what I did?"

I chuckled softly, watching the Doctor turn his head a fraction, almost wanting to look at me, "I ran. I ran as fast and as far as my TARDIS would take me. I ran so far, I found the end of everything, and I hid in the skin of a human."

This made the Doctor turn to face me, and I couldn't quite read the expression on his face. He stared at me for a long while, and I sighed to myself. I had hoped sharing this bit of information would make the man trust me more, though the look in his eyes said otherwise.

"Where exactly do you come from?"

I laughed again, "I can't tell you that. I've already said too much… I just… wanted you to know." I finished awkwardly as I clutched the books tighter to my chest, feeling as though I resembled a school girl talking to her crush.

The image made me shudder, though that might have been the sudden warmth on my shoulder from the Doctor's hand. There were no words exchanged between us, only a look; a locking of the eyes as our expressions screamed all the things that needed to be said. The fingers tightened slightly, and I watched his lips curve into a slight smile.

When he nodded at me, I released a breath I hadn't known I had been holding. The hand slipped away and the Doctor turned back to the bookshelf without a word, though the gesture spoke volumes. I allowed myself a small smile as I glanced down at the smaller of the two books I held. 'Illness and Treatment' was the very simple title.

I looked back to the Doctor's back. "Do you think I'm sick?"

"No, I think you're insane. There's a difference."

"Well, why don't you tell me how you really feel about me, Doctor?" I curled my lip and sneered at the back of his head. He glanced over his shoulder, and I swore I saw him roll his eyes.

"Come off it, Master. I know that you know that I think you're nuts."

I couldn't really argue with that, so I kept my mouth shut. Instead, I turned around and moved to sit by the edge of the pool, placing the books beside me, and leaning back on my hands. I sat parallel to the edge with my feet out in front of me, and I wondered how often he used this place.

"I wouldn't sit too close to the edge if I were you. Venus likes to play."

Before I could ask 'What the hell is a Venus', I felt a wet… something touch against my hand. It was slimy and cold and I felt tiny shocks march up the hairs of my arm. I felt something like suctions cups cling a long my skin and my eyes flew to the pool to find the source and all I could see was a murky silhouette in the clear water. There was a reflection of light; that pearlescent shimmer from before and I saw that whatever was being so friendly was rather large.

"Uh, Doctor, there's something in your pool…"

"I know! I told you, it's Venus." The man turned his head slightly, to see my blank expression. I made no move to stand, or jerk my hand away. I didn't feel as though I would be harmed, and from this close, the thing was quite pretty.

"Might be a silly question, but what's a Venus?"

He turned to face me, books in hand and spectacles perched on the end of his thin nose. "She's a Venus. It's a species of giant jellyfish I found on an ocean planet… I say ocean, but it was freshwater… Maybe I should say giant lake planet… I call her Venus, because I found her on half a seashell, no bigger than my palm." He smiled fondly at the memory, and I nodded when appropriate.

I watched the translucent tendril pull back form my hand and slip back into the water without a sound.

"You always seem to collect the strangest things." I mused aloud as I watched the water ripple as the nearly translucent creature darted and spun, almost as if it was dancing.

"Of course I do. I managed you, didn't I?" I didn't need to see his face to know that there was a mischievous smile on his face. I snorted as I stood, and it was a very graceless noise.

"You've not collected or acquired me. I could leave at any time." Even to my own ears, I sounded petulant.

"Go right ahead then. We're floating in the middle of space, but go ahead and walk out of here, but good luck surviving." He spoke over his shoulder as he reached for one final volume, and once he obtained it, he tucked two large books under one arm, and motioned to the few I was tasked with holding. "But until you decide to leave, carry those for me."

I gave the Doctor a very flat look, "I am no one's servant, regardless of the debt I owe them."

"I never said you were a servant. I'm asking you as a friend." He grinned suddenly, "You owe me a debt? Admittedly? Oh, my, I'll have to log that away fro later, then!"

Shit. The Doctor always had a way about him. A way that made me feel like a child beside him, though I knew we were within forty years of each other. He made me pout more than even my own mother had all those ears ago. It was disturbing, and I had nearly forgotten the effect this bastard of a man had on me.

I followed the Doctor soundlessly as he led me deeper into the Library, zigzagging through a maze of shelves, and faux corridors comprised of hundred of books stacked as high as they could be, all swaying and leaning in haphazard way. The smell that invaded my nose was one of them most comforting in the universe to me. It took me back to the Academy, sitting the furthest corners of a library that rivaled this one, surrounded by the scent of dust and brittle paper and the sound of knowledge.

Eventually, the Doctor found what he was looking for. I determined we might have been in the middle, close enough to still smell the water, and far enough away for the silence to be complete. We could have been in an entirely different dimension, though, that I thought about it. TARDISes were completely unpredictable.

"Take a seat." The Doctor broke the silence, and motioned to a set of squashy looking chairs set around a wide, low table made of a dark wood that gave a handsome gleam in the low lights. I placed the books down and settled myself in a chair, setting ankle on knee and looking the picture of patience. I watched as the Doctor did the same, even mocking the way I sat as he stared at me with an expression I couldn't quite place.

When I thought he would speak, I was given silence and that stupid look on his stupid face. I felt as though I was on trial, and he was trying to break me open like a safe to steal the secrets that were inside. Perhaps I wasn't too far from the truth.

"What?" I snapped finally, feeling myself bristle as I gave him hostile eyes. It irritated me even more that he laughed.

"Nothing at all. Just pondering." He said easily, though the look in his eyes was anything but easy. If the Doctor was a different man, I would have said he was undressing me with his eyes.

"What are you pondering?" I took the bait, just as I knew he wanted me to.

"About what's inside of your head." With these words, he stood from the chair and came around the table. He pushed the books aside, and sat directly in front of me, close enough that our knees were interlocking.

I stared into chocolate pools from so close, and I couldn't find the words. I knew that he couldn't hear the drums that pounded so loudly that I swore he should be able to, and I wasn't sure if I wanted him to listen. My discomfort must have shown on my face, because the Doctor reached out to touch at my arm, making sparks dance along covered skin.

"Hey, don't worry, alright? I don't want to push anything… You're in a delicate state, after all."

In hindsight, I knew the Doctor had baited me, but at that particular moment I really couldn't bring myself to care that this was a trap. I was so furious at the adjective he used to describe me that I spoke without thinking and invited him inside.

"I'm in a _what?_ I'm not a damsel! I'm a _Timelord_ and I can take whatever you can dish." I said stubbornly as I leaned in closer to him.

The Doctor only smiled, and it was then I realized that I was a fool. His hands lifted to touch at my temples; his forehead pressing to mine just as the fiery walls came crashing down. I fought to keep a barrier on my memories as I felt his phantom fingers caress and touch and listen to anything he came across in the deepest parts of my mind.

At the forefront of my mind was the sound of drums amplified a thousand times because of his presence. The sound pounded so hard, it felt as thought my teeth would fall out of my head, and my eyes would shake from their sockets. It seemed like an eternity before the Doctor pulled back from me, his fingers pausing to stroke the skin of my cheek before they fell back to his lap.

"That sound has been with my since my rebirth. Since I was raised for the War, I've heard that damnable beat echoing through my skull. I can't even tell my own heart beat from the noise…" I blathered on, unable to help myself from explaining the noise that I knew the Doctor would question.

But he didn't question. He didn't even speak. His reaction shocked me to my core, though I almost expected it. His hand darted out to curl around the back of my neck, and he brought me in close enough to kiss. He placed his forehead against mine, and stared into my eyes from so close and said five simple words.

"I'm going to fix you."

It was then I knew that the Doctor had seen much more in my head than just the sound of drums.

And I was grateful.

-TBC-


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Note: This chapter was far longer than I expected it to be, but that's okay. Some things might be unclear in this chapter, but I assure you that's my intention. I really need a beta. Also, the race I've introduced here, I do have a background on. I wasn't able to work all of their culture in, so if anyone has any questions, feel free to ask!

Warnings: I'm slapping a giant Dark Themes warning on this story from here on out and only warning you about the fluffy bits. Which there will be more of. Soon.

Rewrite

'Chapter Nine'

The touching moment left me feeling cold. It was later, long after the research was done, and we had gone back to the control room that I realized that what the Doctor saw might not have been good.

He hadn't spoken a word, or gave a glance to my direction since we left the Library and it left a lump of ice in my gut.

Now, I watched the Doctor move around his control panel, while Jack gave me strange glances every so often. I kept away from the console, and as far away from the Doctor as the room would allow. Only by listening to Jack and the Doctor speak, did I know we were going to be landing on Vooloothoo very soon. Apparently, he had found a shortcut.

We had spent the better part of four, or five hours tucked away in the Library, with few words exchanged between us. I wondered what the Doctor saw, tucked in the corners of my head? I made very sure that any pictures of my past that may contain…spoilers were tucked away safe and sound. Psychic fingers had found other memories; things from our shared past when we were children and emotions that were singularly mine and focused on particular bodies of thought.

The fear was that the Doctor had seen the phantom figure through my eyes, or even worse, his own death at my hand. I shook my head, and leaned against the stair railing that led up to the rest of the ship. I curled my fingers around the steel as the ship began to rock and sway as we readied to land. As if summoned from my thoughts, I felt a cool sensation tickle the back of my neck and I felt the blood drain from my face.

I clenched my eyes tight as the touch became more solid and the fingers wrapped around my throat from the back, not squeezing yet, but holding me firmly in place. The phantom skin against mine was colder than anything, or maybe that was the fear that began to creep from the pit of my hearts.

I heard the phantom inhale deeply, and let out a shaking breath and lean heavily against me as if he could no longer keep his footing, '_Mmm, Master, you reek of fear…' _ I felt his nose tuck behind my ear, and he inhaled again, and this time it ended with a groan that made me blush, '_Delicious. Your stench is different than others I've smelled. Rich, and delightful. I bet you taste like chocolate…'_ And he bit me and I was frozen for a second as I felt teeth sink in and worry at the flesh of my ear lobe. I opened my mouth to scream, and the fingers tightened on my throat making the noise into a whispered sound. I heard his chuckle against my ear and he swayed with me as the TARDIS gave that soft 'fwump' of landing. His thumbs caressed my pulse, and still he would not let me go.

He cuddled into my back like a lover, and held me like a serial killer in his hands. I hadn't been paying attention to anything else but the freezing fingers, and whispered words so the hand on my shoulder made me jump. I jerked my head to look over my shoulder to see Jack, and the phantom mirrored me, step for step as I turned around to face the man. Blue eyes were narrowed at me, and I watched his eyes move from head to toe, arching his brow when he saw nothing amiss.

"What the hell is your problem?" Was Jack's ungraceful greeting. As uneasy as I was, I managed a scowl in his direction but I kept my mouth shut. I didn't want to know what this thing would do to me if I tried to call for help when he had himself wrapped around me.

'_Look at that? Jack's worried about you, Masty… He's standing awfully close to you and you've still got that knife in your pocket…' _My fingers twitched at my side. I felt my eyes grow enormous as a hand slipped from my throat and slid over my shoulder and down my arm, taking a hold of my hand the way a lover would. He lifted my hand and let it slide into my pocket. I tried to jerk back from the tacky blade, and the fingers turned to steel, and the voice hissed in my ear. '_Don't. Fight. Me.'_

"Are you…alright?" His concern would have been touching if I hadn't been terrified. I longed to be speaking to the Doctor, and not Jack since the human couldn't read the message I had emblazoned across my face; help me.

I felt like a puppet with my strings tangled up in hands that should never have control. His hand upon mine made my fingers open, and slip around the hilt of the blade as if my hand had been made for it. Cool digits pressed around mine and lifted the blade up and out of my pocket to sit naked at my side.

I watched as Jack tensed immediately when the weapon was revealed, and the phantom was frozen. I heard him cursing and hissing and I felt a sense of anger and annoyance in the back of my head that was not my own. I knew then that he could not make me kill. He could be a puppeteer and he could harm me, but he couldn't make me harm others.

'_Not yet.'_ Was the sinister hiss in my ear, and suddenly I was warmer and my body was my own again. I swayed on the spot, and the blade slipped from my fingers to clatter across the floor. I had a moment of feeling faint, and was surprised to still be upright as y vision became spotted and grey. It took a moment to realize that Jack had caught me, his hands darting out to catch my upper arms and hold me steady.

"And that's why I didn't want to give that knife back. I can't imagine what would have happened if I gave your laser thingy back. What the hell is wrong with you?" Jack was very frank and even-minded as he held me on my feet and watched me from maybe a foot away. Over his shoulder, I saw the TARDIS doors open wide, and the Doctor's back outlined by the hustle and bustle of the town life.

"You were wise to keep it from me. As far as what is wrong, I think I'll keep that to myself, and you focus on keeping me unarmed." My lips felt numb, and I slurred my words as I struggled to keep focus on the strong jaw and blue eyes before me.

"That sounds like a perfect plan. Doc says you need to be in front of me, so… After you, blondie." Slowly, he let his hands fall away from me, and I was able to stand on my own. He pointed a finger at me, and I had the urge to bite the digit to prove a point. "You stay near me." My eyes followed his hand as it moved to pat at silver and shiny handcuffs at his hip. "Because I will cuff you to me."

I rolled my eyes as I tried my hand at walking. When I didn't fall down, I felt I was fit enough to sneer over my shoulder at Jack. "I don't even want to know where you get these things."

"Torchwood, mostly…Some adventurous lovers…" I watched him grin as I blushed, and whipped my head back around to face the doors. After a time, we were outside in the bright light and the noise of a city filtering around us.

Stepping out onto loose, rocky soil with twin suns beating down on me, I knew exactly where I was. I had never known the name of this place, only the feel of the planet beneath my feet and the metallic smell on the air. I was not welcome in this place with other faces.

The Doctor, however, seemed to be a favorite on this rather warm rock as I watched him be chased by a flock of small, reptilian children. Thoolians were humanoid carnivores with razor sharp teeth and something similar to a snout protruded from their face. I knew little of the culture, but I knew about the inhabitants. In the group of children, I saw four with the nubs of tails, and three with knots of hair a top their heads and I knew that I was seeing future Seers and their companions.

Jack seemed at home under the hot sun, maybe a little hot as he lifted a hand to shield his eyes from the suns. "It's always hot with him. Or freezing. I'd like to visit a temperate planet, just once."

I chuckled, "Like most reptilian races, they rely on heat so two suns is perfect."

"If I had scales, I'm sure it would be perfect for me. What's the story about this place?"

I turned my eyes to him and chuckled again, "I'm not the Doctor, Jack. I'm not here to enlighten you with the rich history of the Thoolians… Though I do know they are matriarchal. ... That means ruled by girls."

"I know what it means." Was the snappy reply to my teasing..

I raised my hands in mock defense and continued, "Males are the big brutes with the strong tails and thicker scales. They're darker than the females, too, and they're made for hunting and fighting one another. The females stay back and take care of the city, but they are also all gifted with the Sight. Some stronger than others, though the Oracle is the strongest and oldest."

I lifted a hand to point at the giant spear of rock that sat in the middle of the town, "That's the Spire. The Oracle lives there and she is the wisest of them all because she has the longest hair."

Jack gave a nod, "Not as informative as the Doctor's speeches, but it'll do."

I rolled my eyes, which seemed to be common place now as we looked over the valley before us. The TARDIS had been parked beneath the ridge at the top of a small slope that rolled gently downward to the valley between mountains that rose like titans on either side of the city. Orange rock with splashes of cream and vibrant red made it look like fire rose over head, burning on forever towards the violet sky. There were homes carved into the rock faces; deep tunnels that led to cooler placed behind feet of solid stone, though the Spire sat in the middle.

It rose higher than any home, and it seemed the city had been built around the giant stalagmite. A window could be seen in the very top, with a soft grey smoke wafting out in curling tendrils. Below the Spire were the giant stone doors, guarded by two very large males. All around the Spire was the Festival of Fire, with tents and wares being sold, and children shrieking and the smell of roasting meat filled the air. It pressed to the edge of the homes and I could see that every denizen of the city participated.

And this was all gleaned from a distance. I hummed a little as I shrugged off my suit jacket and shucked it at the TARDIS doors. I noticed Jack's odd look as I began to roll up the sleeves of the thin turtleneck, and I decided to explain.

"You look lovely when you're puzzled. It's very hot here, with two suns, and I wouldn't want you to have to carry me around when I pass out from the heat." I set my sights on the bottom of the hill, and the figure of the Doctor and I didn't wait for Jack.

"This is gonna be a _great_ trip." The sarcastic response nearly made me laugh out loud, but I contained my mirth as we approached the sweating and panting form of the Doctor. He threw his hands up in the air when we arrived, and motioned to the rocky city around us.

"Welcome to Vooloothoo! There's a Festival! Of Fire! I had completely forgotten; isn't this brilliant?!" He cried, and I noticed there was a young child that clung to his leg. He noticed my stare, and moved to place a hand on her head, just below the topknot.

"This is Kaji, she's the newest Daughter." His voice was soft and just a little sad as he gazed down at the child who looked back up to him with almond eyes full of wonder.

I cleared my throat, and made three sets of eyes swing to me, "That's a great honor, I hear." I said softly to the child. The intensity of her gaze made me think that this one was right to be the Daughter of the Oracle.

"There is something wrong with him." Her voice was small to match her body, but full of knowledge, as if she knew something I did not. She stepped away from the Doctor to look up at me. I had never been very fond of children, but I got down to one knee so she didn't have to crane her neck to stare up at me. She stood there, in her tattered dress with her arms swinging at her sides as her body swayed from side to side.

"You're very right." I said softly. I avoided looking directly into her eyes, because I knew that's how she could see into my soul without even meaning to. I did not expect one so small to be so powerful, though, as he hand darted out to touch the bareness of my forearm.

Where the Doctor treaded lightly, Kaji smashed through every wall that I had, tearing them down around her as she frolicked in the most parts of my mind. I couldn't react. Distantly, I was aware that I was shaking in the spot, and that the Doctor was calling my name and Jack was fighting the urge to tear the girl away from me, but I couldn't respond to any of it.

At the touch of her fingers, I felt the phantom begin to rise, like a shape caught in ice, to the surface of my mind and from so close I saw Kaji's eyes grow wide. I watched her lips move in her native tongue, and the phantom stopped and receded quickly as she wrapped her psychic fingers around it and thrust back into the hole where it belonged.

After what felt like an eternity, she drew her hand away from my arm and she looked frightened. She clutched her hand to her chest, and then turned to run towards the Spire. I was in a daze, watching her run in fear to the Oracle. I stayed on the ground for the time being, and looked up to the Doctor with a lazy face.

"I'm really very tired… Of that happening to me…"

The Doctor looked surprised as he knelt down beside me, touching a hand to my forehead, "I'm surprised you let her inside."

I snorted, and jerked my head away, "Maybe I've humbled?"

Jack gave a bark of laughter as he extended a hand to me, "Or you're just behaving for now."

I gave a little shrug as I took the offered hand up, and the Doctor was right behind me, with a hand on my shoulder as Jack helped steady me, "You know, I bet that's right. That sounds like me. Now if you'll stop smothering me, mother hens." I clucked for effect, and shook them off as I stepped a few feet away from them, lifting my eyes up and up and up.

The Doctor came to stand beside me, looking up like I was. "The Oracle knows we're here now. Keep an eye out for blue smoke; that means she's summoned us."

Jack apparently, was tired of being left out when he stuck his head between us, "Why do you two look like someone died?"

There was a moment of quiet, and then the blue smoke the Doctor spoke up began to billow from the window, heavy and thick and smelling of herbs and flowers. I took a breath and started towards the double doors and I heard the Doctor explain.

"Because someone might."

-!-

The climb to the top of the Spire was a long one.

The stair case was carved stone, and it spiraled all the way up to the top. There was no handrail, and I found myself getting dizzy from all of the twisting. The Doctor was at my back, though they had made Jack stay behind, saying that 'Today was not the day of the Undying.'

I found it funny that this speck of a man was so far known across the universe.

"I hate stairs." I felt the need to complain to fill the silence.

"Should have taken the lift, then."

I didn't respond, though I did make a face. I knew he couldn't see it, but it made me feel better in a childish way as the carved stone steps began to grow wider and shallower until they eventually became the stone floor to the top of the spire.

The room was vast and cool and full of shadows cast by the light of the single window. There was a silhouette against the window, and when my eyes adjusted, I could see the little form of Kaji standing behind the figure against the light.

The Oracle was an ancient thing. Wizened and grayed though she held her head high, and those eyes were the sharpest I had seen in a very long time. They were the eyes of a younger soul, full of life and vitality and set deep into a wizened face and they seemed…strange. As if they didn't quite fit. She was tall and thin with a long elegant neck and yards of silver hair that coiled its way around her like some giant snake. The effect was striking, even as she tilted her head at me. The movement was entirely too reptilian, and suddenly I felt like prey.

"Koschei. Master." She hissed, though it seemed like this was her speech, and not in anger, "I have not seen this face with these eyes. It suits your vile spirit."

"So eloquent and I thank you… Your young eyes do not suit your elder body." I responded swiftly.

I watched her head cock again, this time to the other side. "These eyes were damaged before they were offered. Kaji will give me new eyes to see by, but until I can see you sharply, I name you twisted and misplaced. I see fire in your past as well as your future, yet your present is as placid as a pond. Would you like to See?" She lifted a hand to beckon us closer, and she grinned suddenly; a mouthful of terrifying fang.

"Ah! The Doctor! You are what makes this pond so placid, though you move freely through it like the largest fish." Her eyes narrowed, "Though… it seems the fish was unaware of the pond he lived in until now and then."

I stared at her, unable to form a response since I frankly didn't understand. Luckily, and not by chance I was sure, the Doctor did know and he stepped forward with three quick strides that put him closer to the center of the room.

"Why is the fish unaware?" He asked as if the answer meant everything.

"The pond around him changed to be the same, and different. Be wary, Doctor. There is a beast that lurks in the pond, unlike the pond before and it seeks to swallow the largest fish as it has before, yet it's jaws have not tasted." She smiled at us, as if she had done a service. Sharp eyes turned to me, and he crooked a finger. "Come, pond. Let me touch your skin and see into your depths."

"Of course." Was the polite response, though I felt a little strange to be asked such a thing. I moved to walk, and the Doctor's hand on my arm made me turn my head. He said nothing, but the look of such concern on his face made my hearts give a happy flutter. I felt my lips tug into a small smile that I could not stop, and the Doctor nodded, and released me. There was a time when I would have let him sweep through my mind with a touch, to tell me all he needed me to know… But that time was very long past.

As I came closer to the Oracle, I could see a knowing smile on her face as she patted the cushion beside her. She sat on a raised dais, and I had to walk up three wide steps to reach her side.

"Sit. Lords of Time are old, and take longer to See."

I nodded, and my eyes flickered to the little Kaji who sat beside the window, looking out over the town with a wistful expression and I felt pity for her. To be a Daughter meant to be a talented tool. I sat with my legs crossed over one another, and my wrists resting on my knees. I took a cleansing breath, and let my eyes drift shut and my body relax.

I knew the invasion was coming, so I let everything fall where it stood. I knew the Oracle was powerful enough to rape my mind and leave me a husk on her Spire floor, so I unlocked every door and invited her inside.

I expected to feel her in my head, but I didn't feel a thing but her scaled hand on my arm and the stillness of the room. I began to feel sleepy, and my body relaxed further and I let my mind wander to places and things that I hadn't even dreamt of in all of my days.

Loss, and exotic places full of beauty and strangeness that was normal to me. I thought of need, like air missing from my lungs, and I thought of love, like the blood that filtered through my hearts. Soft things, things my mind couldn't think about any longer without seeing them through a veil of blackness.

Hate, like acid to burn its way through anything followed by bitter regret, enough to choke upon. In the darkness, I could hear the voice of the phantom, whispering though the longer I listened, the less audible it became. I strained my focus and eventually found nothing but quiet as I began to wake from my trance.

My eyes fluttered open, and I had no idea how long I had been under her sway. I turned my head to her as she released me, and she looked very sad. "Even for one so wicked, what I see does not belong to you."

I raised a brow and tilted my head, "If it's not mine, why do I have it?"

She shook her head, "These things are unclear. I know that things will be painful for you, and I see red. So much red and I see nothing past the color of blood."

I felt the color drain from my face as the words struck a chord deep inside. "What can I do to fix this?"

"The pond simply is. The creatures within decide if it is to be left barren, or fertile. Kaji will see you out, though I would call the Doctor before you go. I wish to speak with him in private."

I knew dismissal when I heard it, so I stood on shaky legs and made my careful way down the dais steps. I stared ahead, not paying attention or thinking about anything but the fact that I might still be the one to murder the Doctor.

In a moment, little Kaji was beside me, and she took my hand into her own and tugged me along, past the Doctor and beginning down the steps. We made our careful way, slower than the way up as Kaji's legs were much smaller than mine.

"The Oracle will help you." The girl broke the silence, and I paused on the steps, looking down at her. She nodded at me, and I saw wisdom beyond her years in those eyes, "She will help the fish help the pond. The fish and pond rely on one another, and with her help, they will flourish."

"I'm having a hard time agreeing with being a pond." I said dryly, and it made little Kaji giggle as we began to walk again. I heard footsteps behind us, and then a familiar voice.

"Could be worse! You could be a fish." I laughed at the Doctor's overjoyed voice, and he nearly skipped between us to make it to the bottom first. He seemed to be in strangely good spirits and I wondered what the Oracle had spoken to him about.

"I suppose we should catch up to the mad man." I glanced down to Kaji, and she moved to grab at my fingers again, and gave a bright smile and a nod.

As we spiraled to the bottom, I really wondered why everyone was so damn happy.


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Note: Well, this one is dark. And it took a long time to update, and I honestly hate this chapter. To write it, to edit, to post it. It was rewritten at least three times, and I'm still not very happy with it. I hope you all enjoy the depravity of my mind! Thanks! Remember to review~

Warnings: Mutilation, child abuse

Rewrite

'Chapter Ten'

Being tugged through the rocky streets by a small child would not have been on my top ten things to do, say… Four hours ago, but now I was having a wonderful time of it.

The little Kaji was sprightly, and quick witted; the very brightest in her age, which I learned was only five. When I called her a liar, she explained to me that Thoolians matured much faster than Timelords. She wasn't put off by my apparent rudeness. In fact, it seemed to push her to ask even more questions, and make infuriating comments.

"Your fish looks like a girl." She said this in her tiny voice, though the tone was conversational and very adult.

"What?! He's not my—What are you… Shut up! Brat! Lizard brat!"

Her cackle was like evil wind chimes, and I felt a softness towards the girl that I rarely experienced for other creatures.

The Doctor had raced off to the TARDIS the moment he was free of the Spire doors, and Jack was nowhere to be found, so I was left with little Kaji who seemed very eager to show me around the city square. There were savory smelling booths and simple games that Kaji begged me to win something at, which I refused. There was a moment where I lost the child, but she appeared at my side moments later, clutching a little doll.

"Did you win that?"

"No, I stole it, because you didn't win it for me." She blinked up at me, and tilted her head. I could only stare back, and reach out to pat her head.

"Good girl." I smirked at her truthful tone, and offered my hand to hers to hold. She responded by wrapping little fingers around two of mine, and tugging me closer to the face of the mountain, to sit under a ridge and enjoy the shade for a moment. Sweat had begun to trickle down my face and neck, and the cool rock was a blessing as I laid my cheek against it while sprawling my legs out in front of me.

"Damn this heat." I groaned, "I don't do well with heat."

Kaji was sitting beside me. She had taken a shine to me, I noticed as she cuddled her body to my side as she played with her rag doll. Without looking up from making the dolly dance, she spoke, "Your Fish is kind of hot, and you do fine with him."

I felt my eyes grow wide, and I stared down at the top of her head with my mouth set in a thin line, "You're a chatty little brat, aren't you?"

"Only when you're the one to start it."

I chose not to respond to her. Instead, I opted to watch the crowds pass by while I kept an eye out for the Handsome Jack, or the flash of navy blue that meant the Doctor was near. It was interesting to sit and watch the creatures pass, to hear the distant hiss of the native tongue.

My mind was racing around itself, trying to dissect the double meanings of the Oracles words, while wondering about the Doctor's apparent excitement over being referred to as a big fish. There was something that lay curled inside me, and I had no idea what it was. I only knew it existed from the words of the Oracle.

There was a time when I had thought I was haunted by my guilt and my insanity had given the feeling a face. I thought I had been led back into the past, to fix something, but the longer I found myself displaced the less it all made sense. I had been here maybe a week and whatever whispered in my head was manifesting quickly.

What could I do about it? I liked to think that I had it under control. That I could conquer the phantom when he wrapped frigid fingers around my figure, but after the incident with Jack, I wasn't so sure.

I was not an innocent thing. Blood colored every crease in my hands, though I did not want to further the staining. I didn't want to spill more red, I wanted to save it. It was a peculiar feeling, wanting to save something and I hadn't really given the feeling much thought until now.

Kaji had fallen asleep against my side at some point, and I gave the child the barest of smiles as I pondered her fate. It was a cruel thing to take the sight of a child, but it was the culture. I kept telling myself it was the culture and I could not interfere, even as I found myself touching my hand to the top of her head.

The larger sun had begun to set, and the smaller was rising higher into the sky moment by moment and that was how they found us. Sleep wasn't something I did very often though the setting of the sun made me groggy, though I wondered if it was the heat.

"I know you're evil, but you can't abduct children, Master." I heard the chiding tone before I saw his face, and I scowled in the Doctor's direction.

"If I wanted to abduct this child, your TARDIS would be gone, don't you think?" I raised a brow as the Doctor and Jack were finally seen as a large male with a cart rolled past us to reveal them both. Jack looked positively miserable, while the Doctor looked the picture of ease, as if he spent every day on this steamy planet.

The look on Jack's face was too much, and I couldn't resist baiting him.

"I told you it would be hot. You should have come more prepared or…less dressed."

Jack wore a long sleeved blue shirt, heavy pants and boots and his normal suspenders. I could see where he had sweat through the dark material of his shirt and I watched the flush on his cheeks grow as he glared at me.

"You, shut up. I'm not cold-blooded like Timelords apparently are."

I rolled my eyes, though it was the Doctor who answered, "We're not cold-blooded… We just handle heat better than humans."

"Because your race is frail and weak." I added for good measure, ignoring the withering stare from both Jack and the Doctor.

"Don't instigate." The Doctor warned before turning his eyes to Kaji. "You need to wake her. The sun is setting, and the Oracle has invited us for the ceremony… She says she has a gift for us." He sounded grim, and I wasn't surprised. I felt a little grim, knowing what we were about to witness.

I looked down to the sleeping girl, and shook her gently. As she stirred, I glanced to the Doctor. "We can save her."

For me to suggest such a thing must have thrown the Doctor off. He looked taken aback, and surprised, but there was not an inkling of a joke written across my face. I didn't want to watch this child participate in the ceremony, though I knew if we didn't witness it the Oracle would make sure to snip out threads prematurely.

The Doctor shook his head, albeit sadly. I knew that he wanted to save this child as much as I did, but his damnable morals held him at bay, "We can't, and you know that. It's a fixed point, and somehow she's part of your timeline now."

Ah, so that was it. If I had bothered to look past the drums, I probably would have seen it, too.

Gently, I shook Kaji's shoulders, and she gave a little groan and opened black almond eyes, peering around the square in a confused way. She spotted the Doctor, and Jack and then looked at me.

"Your Fish and the Undying found you."

"An astute observation, little one… It's time."

The men raised eyebrows at me over the names she used, though I ignored them both. I gave her a sad smile as she drew in a breath and stood. Her head was held high, and I knew she was brave.

She didn't say a word as she turned and marched off towards the Spire with her chin up and her chest out, ready to take on the world. It was unfortunate that the world she would conquer would be one of darkness.

Slowly, I stood and brushed my trousers off before I turned to face the Doctor and Jack. "I'm really irritated that the old bat is forcing us to witness this." I spat at the ground bitterly.

"Okay, I gotta ask; what the hell is going on?" Jack looked completely confused, and I envied him, his ignorance until the Doctor shed light.

"The ceremony we are witnessing tonight is something that happens once every fifty years. A gifted girl is chosen to be the Daughter, and she gives her sight to the Oracle, so she may continue to See with unclouded eyes."

"That doesn't sound terrible… But I'm assuming it's going to be?"

I nodded as the Doctor answered, "To see, the Oracle needs new eyes to See by, so they are going to take the child's sight."

It seemed to dawn on him as the light in his eyes faded to something horrifying, "And by take you mean…"

The Doctor gave a solemn nod. "And we cannot interfere."

"You're the Doctor! That's what you do!"

"Not this time." The words were sharp and held no room for argument. Jack snapped his mouth shut, and gave a little glare to the Doctor.

"Well, I'm not watching. If you two want to watch some travesty, go right ahead. I'll be in the TARDIS." With that moody reply, Jack was marching off towards the sloping hill we had begun at.

I heaved a sigh, and shoved my hands into the pockets of my trousers and turned my eyes forward, to the crowd that was slowly gathering around the Spire. The Doctor took the lead, and nudged a few natives out of the way so we were closer to the front. I knew the Doctor had to witness this, every single gruesome second, or he would never forgive himself. My stomach was strong, but I still felt it roil as the Spire doors opened and there was a smattering of applause as the largest male I had seen so far came with a stone throne between meaty hands. He placed it at the center of the semi circle that had begun to form, and then vanished into the Spire again.

Moments after, he appeared again, but with the Oracle curled into his arms, so frail and old that she couldn't walk down the many steps any longer. The crowd howled as she was placed in her throne, and I gave a glance around me.

The crowd had grown very quickly, and the musky scent of the natives invaded my senses and only made me more miserable. The emotions I felt were old and dusty, though the fact I felt them for a child was strange. Generally, I hated children, but the little Kaji was different.

I did not muse long, however, as a brazier was brought, and set before the stone throne and with a torch it blazed to life, and thus the ceremony began. The Oracles voice rang out, and the crowd grew quiet as the dry and whispering voice was projected into a loud boom.

"I have seen the beginning of all things, and the end of time itself. I have seen war, and foretold the death of thousands. This has not been done alone… With the blessing of the Goddess and the help of her Daughters, I will take sight once more, to See to the very end of existence."

There was a roaring of applause, and the peculiar hissing growl that the locals made when they were excited. It made my palms itch and my fingers curl into fists. I watched as Kaji was brought from the Spire doors, led by the hand by one of the larger males, one of the Sons for the ceremony.

"Kaji is the Daughter chosen by the Goddess, and my great, great granddaughter" The wizened woman gave a smile to the child, "Are you prepared, my child?"

When the girl gave a small nod, her arms were seized by the male who brought her. I watched him smile at her, a flashing of sharp teeth and his lipless mouth moved as he spoke to her softly. Her face grew more frightened, and when he made to grab her by the shoulders, she screamed.

I felt my hearts stop as the terrified cry ripped over us, though it only seemed to make the crowd wilder. The Son lifted Kaji over his head, like she was a trophy and all the world wanted to see. After a moment, he lowered her back to the ground, placing her directly in front of the Oracle and forcing the child to her knees.

Over the tide of noise, and just barely at that, I heard Kaji whimper. She cast a glance over her shoulder, and her eyes found mine and I mouthed a silent apology 'I'm so sorry'. She looked sad, though she smiled at me. The fires from the brazier licked at her back since she was quite close and I knew what was to happen after her sight was taken.

It wasn't long until the Son came forward with a strange looking instrument in his hands. It was one I had only seen once, when it was brandished towards my face years ago, and I wondered why they would use such a gruesome tool.

It was a blade of sorts, though it was wider than most. The edges, all the way around, were serrated and it dipped in the middle like a macabre hand scoop. I felt the horror fill my eyes, but I would not turn away. I registered the hand on my lower back; the Doctor offering his support. I was sure if the situation had not been so dire, I would have made a joke, or taken a pass. The make matters worse, I felt the whisper in my head that always seemed to come when the drums became louder.

'_Watch her scream, and know you like it.'_

I shook my head, clenching my fists so tightly that my nails bit into the palms of my hands.

'_You've made little children cry before. Made them scream and beg for their mummy's. I see it all here, inside your head. You've an awful lot of memories, Masty, I don't think I'll ever get bored here. I like to think I've made a comfortable home.'_

The Phantom taunted me, though no ghostly image appeared. He was only a voice in my head, though it was muffled and misty around the beat of the drums, and for the very first time, I was thankful at the noise. It seemed to clear my mind and muffle the noise of screams as the Son took his position above the child.

His back was to us, and the massive frame hid the sights, though I knew the moment when he drove the blade into her face from the scream that made the blood drain from my skin. It was the noise of an injured rabbit; high-pitched and continuous, and this only seemed to excite the natives.

My body must have moved, tried to run to her, because the hand on my lower back slid around to my side and the Doctor's surprisingly strong grip on my hip held me in place. I grit my teeth, and strained my neck to see, and the Doctor only held me tighter against him. It was a distant thought that he held me like a lover would; his fingers eyes caressing me, soothing me as I felt my hearts break.

The Son turned around, and raised his hands to the sky. Blood dribbled down his arms and I didn't need to see the orbs in his hands to know that it was done. As he passed them over the fire the blood sizzled and stunk and then me stepped over Kaji to kneel before the Oracle.

I could still hear her crying as she curled in on herself, the place were beautiful eyes once say were only gaping, bleeding holes. The Oracle stood, and spoke over the crowd.

"It is done! The Sight is passed, though this time the Goddess must forgive my transgressions." She extended a hand, and the Son placed oozing orbs in her palm, "In ceremonies past, we have burned the body of the Daughter, and offered her flesh to the Goddess."

The crowd screamed and cheered, though they all fell silent as the Oracle raised the stolen organs to the sky, "This is the day we will offer gifts, instead, to our guests."

Those mismatched eyes found me in the crowd, and I only offered a look of contempt as she spoke to me, "You. Koschei of Gallifrey, I make this little one your ward. This is your gift, and your trial." She lifted her chin, and looked arrogant as she held my gaze.

I gave a low growl, and my eyes narrowed to slits. A thousand scathing retorts were on the tip of my tongue, though none of them came to light as the Doctor pinched my side and spoke in my place.

"We thank you for the mercy you've shown us, and your kin."

The Oracle lifted her brow as she began to roll the globes in her hands, as if they were obscene toys. Her challenging gaze was all for me, though her words were for the Doctor.

"Does the Fish speak for his pond?"

"The Fish speaks when the pond cannot. There are ripples on the surface; something disturbs the pond."

This seemed to please the Oracle, and she nodded, waving a hand in dismissal, "Take your prize, and do not return, Koschei of Gallifrey. If you do, this place will be your grave."

The Doctor gave me a warning touch as I broke away from him to rush to Kaji. She lay on her back, and her lips were twisted into a frown and she sobbed, though…No tears fell. Her eyes were taken, and holes were left; great gaping holes that made bile rise in my throat. I fought my roiling stomach as I stooped to drawn her into my arms, and she nearly shrieked until her reptilian nostrils flared and she caught my scent. When she realized it was me, she clung to me like a life line.

"Wait." I paused with my back to the Oracle as the wizened woman reached a hand out to touch my shoulder. I spun around, clutching the child to my chest and nearly hissing.

"You've done enough."

She smiled to me, "You are unfamiliar with our ways. I see the anger in your eyes, and I taste blood on the air; blood you surely mean to spill for things you could never possible understand."

We stood close enough that I could see the wizened skin curl, and see the sharpened nails extend towards the face of the girl in my arms. The Oracle passed her hand over Kaji's face, and suddenly the sockets were filled with a pearlescent white. It hid the atrocity, and seemed to help the pain as the wrinkles in the child's skin smoothed out, and she seemed to be at peace for now.

I said nothing, not even a nod as I turned on my heel and saw that the crowd had parted, and dozens of sets of eyes were upon me. I did not make contact with any of them as I made my way back to the TARDIS.

The Doctor had to jog to catch up to me and I paid him no mind. I didn't even glance as his arm curled around my shoulder in a soothing gesture. It was at that moment that I knew he was as full of anguish as I.

I felt four hearts break, all at once. All for the child in my arms.

The newest child of the TARDIS.

-TBC-


	11. Chapter 11

Author's Note: Tah-dah! ... I'm not happy with this chapter either...

Warnings: Short, dark. THE PLOT THICKENS. Like porridge.

Rewrite

'Chapter Eleven'

The TARDIS seemed to sense my sadness as I felt the invasive fingers in my mind as soon as I cleared the doors. The hum grew louder around me, drowning out the drums and giving me silence as I made my way up the steps that led to the many corridors.

I registered that Jack had yelled after me, and that the Doctor was subtly steering me towards a certain room, with his arm still around my shoulder I didn't think about any of this; only the child in my arms.

I prided myself on being heartless and full of hate, but the little thing seemed to pain me. In the short time I knew her, I had grown attached to the headstrong little Kaji and her quick wit and stolen doll. The sweet thing, in her ragged linen dress and her scaled feet caked in dirt and blood.

Suddenly, there was a door before me, and it swung open and I was ushered inside. The Infirmary was sterile and cool, and I made my way to a table to place the child upon it. Her scales were cool to the touch, and she seemed to be sleeping.

I barely noticed the hands on my shoulders and the soft voice in my ear.

"She'll be fine… Promise… She just needs some rest, and a hug when she wakes up."

I gave the barest of nods, staring at the girl. Strong arms curled around my shoulders from behind, and the Doctor's cheek was pressed to mine. I could smell the spice of his skin and feel the stubble from his chin like sandpaper on my flesh.

"I'm sure you don't want to leave her."

To this, I shook my head, though I said nothing. I didn't think I could speak. My words were forced into a ball, wrapped in the twine of my grief and unable to be let free.

I was sure if I had been in better spirits, I would have taken advantage of the closeness of the Doctor. It was the first time since we were children that he had voluntarily touched me, or allowed himself to be so close, and his guard to be down.

He treated me like a friend who was hurting.

"I'll need some things from my workbench; sit tight and I'll be back." The Doctor was gone in a flash, and I might have imagined lips on my cheek as I drew a chair and sat at Kaji's bedside.

She looked peaceful now, as a child should when they sleep. I reached out for her, to take a tiny hand in mine and run my thumb across scaly knuckles. I was numb, though I had caused horrors like this in my past. I felt a niggling feeling the back of my skull that I was changing, maybe even growing a little in spirit.

If the Doctor could become a colder man, why couldn't I become a warmer one?

'_Without your hate, you are nothing. You've survived on bitter feelings and a need to destroy the Doctor.'_

"I don't want to deal with you right now." My voice was hollow; shocking to my own ears. I had no energy to fight.

'_You have little choice. I'm inside your head, you know; I am part of you. You have to accept that.'_

I shook my head, "You're not a natural part of my mind."

The laughter echoed through my skull, and it made me cringe, '_You'll believe the Oracle? A creature that would rip the eyes from a child? She's nearly worse than you, only I felt your joy in this.'_

"There was no joy." I muttered between lips that barely moved.

_'Tell yourself that when you try to sleep tonight.'_

I heard the hiss of doors, and the voice was gone; vanished into beating of drums and overrun by the Doctor's presence. I held Kaji's hand while he flittered around the room, acting like the Doctor the universe took the name from. I heard the buzz of his sonic as he passed it over her body, and then lifted it to his face.

"Everything is as normal as it can be, considering…" The Doctor paused, and turned his eyes to mine. I didn't look away from him, though I must have let something soft fill my eyes, because he smiled at me and came around the bed to draw up a chair and sit beside me.

"I'm surprised at you."

"You and the rest of the universe." I replied with no real inflection in my voice.

"I'm… very proud of the way you responded." The Doctor's words were soft, and careful, as if he expected me to bite. Given a different circumstance, I would have had plenty of scathing remarks.

"Thank you."

The Doctor prodded further, "You could have refused, and walked away but you didn't."

"No, I didn't…" I felt the corner of my lips twitch as I gave my friend a small smile. "And I know you're going to ask me why." I released Kaji's hand, and sat back in the chair with my wrists resting on my thighs.

"I remember being small. I remember being driven mad, and I remember someone saving me from a gruesome fate."

The Doctor chuckled as he leaned forward to clasp his hands together with his elbows resting on his knees, "Well, it wasn't so gruesome… And I left you." From the corner of my eye, I watched brown eyes turn to the floor and I smiled in spite of myself.

There was part of me that really enjoyed watching him feel remorse for what he had done to me, even if I might have deserved it.

"You did leave me. Eventually." I added fuel to his misery, though I was not in the mood to continue the game, "But it was for the better, I suppose. Everything seemed to work out…" Even if it turned out to be sort of … backwards and paradox-y.

It made him smile, and I felt like it was worth it to chase the shadows from his eyes, for only a moment. We sat in companionable silence for a time, both of our eyes on the figure on the cot. The Oracle might have helped me, but at that moment, I abhorred her very existence.

Kaji breathed easily, the little chest rising and falling in a rhythm that was comforting to watch. The tear tracks of blood upon her face were not, and I made a move to stand, to find something to clean her face with. I felt the Doctor's eyes on my back as I poked around the infirmary.

"Hang on.." I knew that tone, that curious tone that said he found something interesting. "What's this?" I heard his footsteps, and felt his presence behind him. Alive and radiating heat; it had been too many times that the cold was at my back. I was thankful for the Doctor, then.

As I reached the small sink with the cloth I had found, I felt gentle fingers at the back of my neck and my skin broke out in shivers. It was a caress by roughened fingertips, not a prod or a push that made me think that perhaps the Doctor saw something in me that I could not.

"There's a mark on your neck… Don't be too alarmed…" I felt his fingers stretch the skin, and there was a pinprick of pain, "But it looks like something burrowed its way into the base of your skull…"

"Well, that's lovely." My voice was dry and very unlike the curious tone I heard in the Doctor's voice. I was sure he could be missing a leg, and find it fascinating.

"If I'm right… And I usually am… This _is_ quite the lovely thing you have munching away at your brain." I heard the grin in his voice, and felt his breath on my next as he leaned in closer to look, "Fairly fresh… Now, I wonder where you picked this little thing up at…"

"Doctor, the foreplay is tedious. Do you know what it is, or not?" I hadn't meant to snarl the words, though I did intend for the glare that I shot over my shoulder. The Doctor had the grace to look sheepish, and he grinned at me.

"Sorry. … Tell me, has anything strange been happening to you?"

"Oh, not at all. It's very normal for me to fall out of the sky to greet old friends." I all but snapped as the Doctor inspected my neck. I heard him scoff, and he flicked my ear, making me yelp.

"Don't be trouble." The Doctor spoke with an amused tone. "Are you sure nothing strange had happened?"

I paused for a moment. What was the worst that could happen?

'_I can answer that for you.'_ The Phantom rose up like the tide, his words washing over me and leaving me cold as I watched the image materialize in front of me. I swallowed past the lump that had begun in me throat.

"I… I think I've been hallucinating." I barely heard my own voice as I watched the Phantom's face twist into a snarl. It was strange to see the Doctor, even an image, look so angry.

'_Keep your filthy mouth shut! You're going to ruin everything!' _He started towards me, and I bit back the whimper.

I was disgusted with myself. Of all the things I had faced in the universe, a ghost was going to be my undoing. I pressed back against the hands of the solid Doctor as the phantom came closer to me.

"What kind of hallucinations?" The Doctor asked, ever the curious man.

Would it hurt to tell the Doctor I saw him pacing around the room like a tiger in a cage? Would it hurt to tell him that I saw a blood coated figure that had tormented me since I first arrived here? Would it hurt to tell him why?

Though my Doctor could not read my mind, the Phantom could, and he rushed towards me like a storm. His hands on the arms of the chair, he placed his face very close to mine, So close that I might have imagined the stink of rotting blood upon his breath.

'_If you open your mouth again, I will make sure that none of you leave this ship alive. It's not too late to kill him again. It's so fresh in your mind…'_

"The same that I ran from in your chambers." My voice was tight, and small as I squeezed my eyes shut. I felt frigid fingers encircle my wrists, and the phantom trapped both of my hands in one of his, holding them off to the side as the other hand shot for my throat.

'_I will possess you, boy! Do not defy me! I have been in the universe far longer than you have ever hoped to breathe! I will not be foiled by your insanity!'_

The fingers clenched, and I heard a hum. A high pitched sound in my ears, and the noise of my blood thundering just beneath my skin as the life was slowly being choked from me. The Phantom's face was twisted into a grin as he threw my hands to the side as he set both hands around my neck. Thumbs pushed against my Adam's apple, and I couldn't stop the wheezing breath.

"Master?"

My vision began to fade in splotches; grey and white ate at the edges of my vision as I fought for breath. The Phantom had grown stronger, and I knew this was no longer a game to pass the time for this creature.

'_I will eat your brain, you little bastard. You'll sleep, and I will destroy you from the inside. I'll feast on your Doctor, too. I'll whisper things into his ears, and he'll smother you while you lay here.'_

"No!" I snarled, though it came out a coughing wheeze. Now, more than ever, I fought to keep air in my lungs, to stay awake even as the pain began in my head. It was unlike the drums; a sharp and stabbing feeling right in the center of my head. For an instant, I wished for nothing more than the sound of drums and the tide of my insanity.

I longed to think with muddled thoughts and act on impulse as I had done so many times in the past. I longed for my drums to chase away the thing inside my head, the thing I felt sinking razor sharp teeth into the delicate tissues of my brain.

"Help me…" I whispered as I felt my eyes flutter against my cheeks.

_'No one will help you. You belong to me.'_

The last sight I saw was the Phantom choking the life out of me, though I heard the frantic tone in my Doctor's voice. I felt his hands flutter, and I heard him shout, though I couldn't make out any of the words.

Freezing fingers released me as darkness washed over my vision, and I had the sensation I was falling as I became colder, and colder. There was a sudden shock of warmth; warm hands, a warm chest, soft skin…

And then there was nothing.

-TBC-


	12. Chapter 12

Author's Note: Two chapters in a day. Enjoy the feels! DOCTOR'S POV.

Warnings: Wibbly-wobbly talk.

Rewrite

'Chapter Twelve'

One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. It was the sound of drums. It was a noise that would never fade, and never die even though the hearts in his chest had slowed to something faint and fluttering.

As innocent as a child asleep… I wouldn't have made a comparison like that so lightly if I didn't have an actual sleeping child to compare it to. The child in question had not stirred since we brought her on board. A quick scan would tell me that she was only sleeping, though it was a deep sleep. A hibernation of sorts. It had been a grand total of ten hours since the Master fell, and sixteen since Kaji was brought to the infirmary, and only sharp eyes could see the changes.

It was like watching a flower bloom; you could never catch it in the act, but every time you looked away and then back, something was different. Her body grew, inches at a time. So much that the tattered dress she wore quickly became a shirt and I pulled the sheet over her, wondering if I had any lizard sized clothing.

In hours, I watched as the child Kaji became an adolescent. I had known that Thoolians matured quickly, but I had no idea how much. I was very pleased that she was doing so well, save for the eyes. I had tried a thousand things; drops to renew the cells, tinctures that were said to regrow any lost limb… But nothing. Not even a shiver.

It made me turn my eyes to the cot beside Kaji, the one that held the Master. Color had come back into his cheeks, though I found myself longing to see honeyed eyes flutter open, and I wanted so badly to hear that rough voice call me an idiot.

I stood beside his cot, reaching fingers out to touch at the pulse in his neck, finding it as slow as it was before. I drew a sigh, and pinched the bridge of my nose as I began to collect my thoughts.

First, I still found the Master's presence here to be strange, and definitely unorthodox. I had sneaking suspicions, but I couldn't bring any of them to light, as they would upset the delicate balance of the universe. I saw the energy that made him with all its flowing lines and coiled energies, all packed tightly into a dirty blonde body that I so desperately wanted to feel.

It brought me to the second thought, one that should have been first, perhaps. I felt longing for my old enemy, and friend. There was an unexplained urge and a need to be near him, to touch him and hold him. I hadn't felt like this for anyone, in a very long time, and it had started upon meeting the Oracle. She had told me we were intertwined; that we would not and could not be apart from each other.

I had dealt with the Oracle in the past and found her to be a sentimental and romantic old woman, so I hadn't paid any attention to it at first. It was a need to preserve the Timelords, my urge to save him. I kept telling myself that, even as I caught myself running my fingers along a strong jaw, dusted with stubble.

He groaned under my touch, and I jerked my hand back. That was more of a reaction I had gotten since I started… And it brought my mind to a third point. If the Master had been anyone else, I might have just cracked open their head to investigate, but he wasn't. He was Timelord, and he was from Gallifrey. He was my friend, and as I carded my fingers through his short hair, I realized that I needed him awake and well in the most selfish of ways.

The monitors beside his bed beeped, and told me exactly what was happening with his body… Thought the electrodes I had at the base of his skull gave me no readings. Nothing but black. The brain scan I had done showed an increased spread of the non-existing matter, though it showed damage being done. It was minute, but at the rate it was going, I feared that the Master would be a shell in a matter of days.

I had time, but I wasn't sure what I could do. I felt exhaustion pressing at my temples, and I lifted my hand to rub at my eyes. I took my glasses off, and set them upon the Master's bedside table, and I groaned into my hands.

"It's impossible… How am I gonna get inside your head, when you're not even sure how to get out…" I spoke to him, softly, and I found myself touching him again. I pet his hair, from forehead to crown, letting my thumb touch against his temple.

Before I knew it, my lips were on his skin, and I heard a throat clearing from somewhere in the room. Faster than I could blink, I jerked myself away from the Master, and scanned the room for the source. What I saw shocked me.

Kaji was sitting up in bed, and she looked less a child and more a teen now. Her budding body was full of curves and her face had been carved into something more elegant, though just as garish. I had never been a fan of snakes, though… She looked at me, as if she saw through me and the pearlescent whites of her new eyes shimmered when she smiled.

"I'm going to tattle on you when he wakes… I think he might like to be awake for that."

I blushed, though I didn't look away. I was too enamored by this strangeness; and I had seen some strange things in my time.

"How..?"

"I… don't know. I see you, though not with my eyes. There's an image of you, inside of my head, though it is blurry…Like watercolors spread across the inside of my skull… I see… A thousand different outcomes. A million things you could have, would have, should have done, or said or felt."

"You have the Sight…" I said, marveling as I stepped around the Master's bed and made my way to Kaji, "She took your eyes, and gave you a piece of her gift… "

Kaji nodded, "It is why the Daughters are burned, and the remains are offered to the Goddess. The Oracle does not wish to be removed from her seat of power."

"Well, that sounds… Nice. I hadn't known that bit… Mind telling me whey you're… all grown up?"

Kaji's hands fluttered over her body, and she laughed, "Like I told your Pond: our bodies mature much faster than other species. Our minds take years to catch up, though we are fully formed only a few short years after our birth. It is said that the Goddess created us to protect and serve, during the Great War and there is no use for children in a war."

I knew she sensed my confusion, because she added, "It's old Thoolian history. I don't expect you to know much of it… It's older than you are, Doctor. Older and far removed from the stories we share today."

"Makes sense… I suppose."` I turned to look over my shoulder at the Master, and Kaji touched my arm with a cool hand. I turned my gaze back to her, and she smiled at me.

"I See many things… I See that you have the chance to save him, so you should not fret."

"How?"

She laughed again, "A word you ask often, though you seem to disregard the answer. I See that in the past. I wish I could tell you the things I See…" White eyes slipped shut, and she shook her head, "But I cannot."

I waved a hand to her words, offering a small smile and a gentle pat to her hand that rested on my arm still. "I know all about keeping my mouth shut about things that have already happened… Or, will happen, in your case." I paused, and drew my hand away to grip at my chin, "There has to be a way!"

I began to pace between the beds; tight circles so the monitor that showed the Master's vitals was never out of view. I felt Kaji's eyes on me, following my every step and I was thankful that she didn't feel the need to fill the silence.

Right at that very moment, I knew I needed Jack. He was smart for a human, and he had access to a lot of gadgets from Torchwood, though I knew he was somewhere in the bowels of the ship, pouting. I knew he was angry; it was a natural response from the events that had occurred. I realized that Jack might have thought we left Kaji to die… If that was the case, it would be days until the Captain decided I had had enough of his silent treatment.

So it seemed I was on my own for now.

"Not alone, Doctor. If I can help in anyway…"

I felt my face twist into something funny, and I pointed an accusing finger at Kaji, "You! Stay out of my head. Gifted guest, or not, I will not tolerate anyone poking around in my skull with telepathy."

The girl looked abashed, and lowered her head to begin to twist her sheets between her fingers in a sheepish way. I gave a nod at her form, and then turned my attention back to the Master and his monitors. I placed my hands on my hips and stared at the monitor, at the black space in the middle of his brain.

"If only I could isolate it… Short of brain surgery, I can't remove it… It's gotten too deep. Might kill him, really… The thing is mimicking part of his brain to continue its function, though that's quickly going down hill…"

I groaned, and tore my hands through my hair, the noise ending in a shout, "Bollocks! If I knew what it was, I could fix it! I don't have _time_ to research."

As I pulled my hair from its roots and marred my skin with my own fingers, Kaji was a plethora of knowledge that was new to her. She spoke quietly, as if she was afraid of me snappish comeback.

"Tempus Edax."

"Pardon?" I paused, and turned to glance over my shoulder.

"Tempus Edax," She repeated, "Time Eater."

The words sparked a memory, and I followed the long line back to the source and I felt the light bulb pop on, "Of course! Brilliant!" I roared as I took three quick steps to Kaji's bedside, to grab her face and kiss her scaled forehead.

"You, my lovely friend, are absolutely brilliant! Time Eaters! Haven't seen those in decades; thought they all died off during the Time War! Nothing to eat, you know, so of course they would wither away but here!"

I turned my body away from Kaji, grabbing the monitor and spinning it so the girl could see the black mass I was pointing to, "Here is the very last! Beautiful! Just beautiful…" I couldn't stop smiling, even though Kaji looked terrified, and confused.

"I… Why is that beautiful…? It's killing him…"

"That's the beautiful part!" I cried as I slapped the monitor, and it slid back to hang above the Master's bed on the hinge that held it on the wall. "Now that I know what it is, I can isolate it, until I can find away to remove it."

I grinned as I moved to the machine, my fingers flying over keys that I barely registered, "For buggers like this, you have to find a specific signature, and I can send a pulse of psychic energy from the TARDIS to stun it, and keep it contained for an indefinite period of time. As long as he stays in the TARDIS, he'll be fine."

I grinned at Kaji as I made a few final adjustments to the console, and funneled a small portion of the TARDIS and her field directly into the Master's head.

"And go, go, go!" I tapped the button to begin it all, and sparks began to fly from the monitor, and the image became distorted. "No! NO! Don't fight me, old girl!"

I felt the entire ship begin to shake, and smoke began to billow from the machine. I heard a voice, then, speaking Gallifreyan and it registered in my mind that one of the many security protocols had been breeched.

"No! Stupid machine!" I bellowed as I ignored Kaji's bewildered look as I raced out of the infirmary and bolted down the corridors as if the world behind me was on fire. I knew that if I bypassed the telepathic field manually, the smoke would clear, quite literally. The trouble was getting to the console room with time to spare.

I appreciated the subtle defense of a telepathic field. It made a great many things possible, such as translation and starting the engines with a thought. The defense part, I wasn't so keen on in the moment. When an unusual mind was linked with the TARDIS, her first instinct was to destroy the threat.

Sadly, the Master and his new little parasite were the immediate threat. There was the possibility of the worm burrowing into the brain of the ship, and ripping a hole in the fabric of time. The TARDIS, bless her, knew exactly what I did, and did everything she could to prevent it.

I tore into the console room, and leapt over the railing, not bothering with stairs. The impact jolted me, though I kept going even as I stumbled towards the control panel. I caught myself of the edge, and my hands began to fly across her familiar keys.

"Come on!" I dodged a knob shooting across the room, and heard the shatter of glass. Another damn pane to replace.

I raced to the other side of the control panel, and my hand on a lever kept me from sliding across the console room. I made a few more adjustments, and cut off a portion of the power to the main circuit, to redirect it into the Master's head. If the worm managed to escape, it wouldn't be linked up with the main field.

My TARDIS, ever the good sport seemed to accept this was alright, and when I flipped the lever to activate the change, she didn't fight. The rocking stopped, and the engines slowed to her idling hum and we resumed our gentle tumble through space.

I paused for only a second to allow myself a sigh of relief before I pushed away from the controls and raced back towards the infirmary.

"Doc!"

I passed a confused Jack, and I glanced over my shoulder as I turned a corner, "Can't talk now! Infirmary!"

I was there before I knew it, bursting through the door, panting, and finding Kaji looking rather calm as I nearly stalked around her bed to put myself at the Master's side with my eyes on his monitors. I watched the black mass pull back like the tide, and then stay frozen in place. There was no movement, and I could pinpoint the creature now.

Another sigh of relief as Jack stomped through the doors, breathing hard and looking bewildered as he laid eyes on Kaji. "What the hell?"

Kaji giggled, "Hello, Undying."

Jack shot her an annoyed look, "It's Jack."

"I know your name. I call you by your title."

I laughed as I watched my friend glower at the girl and I made my way to him to clap him on the back. I found myself in the greatest of moods suddenly. Part of me knew I was pleased with myself for being so brilliant, and another part, the much larger part knew that I was overjoyed to know that the Master would wake. There was still time.

"Jack! There are a lot of things going about right now… Maybe I should catch you up. Talk a walk with me." I grinned at his befuddled look, and led him towards the doors.

With a glance over my shoulder and a look that felt like longing towards the Master, I spoke to Kaji, "Be here for him. I'll be back."

I didn't wait for her to nod; I already knew she would agree.

- TBC-


	13. Chapter 13

Author's Note: HOLY TARDIS OF GALLIFRY. This took me a long time to get out, partially because I've been so busy, and partially because of writers block. It's here now! And it's…alright, I guess.

Warnings: I don't even know anymore. See previous chapters; I have a theme going on.

Rewrite

'Chapter Thirteen'

I think I dreamed. I dreamed of touches, and words and something soothing to quell the heat and the sound of drums echoing in the distance. There was shouting and smoke and laughter, all while I was left to float in the nothing that I dreamed.

When I began to wake, the lights pierced through my eyelids as if the sun was hanging directly over my head. I hissed, and cringed, and turned my face away. There was a pulse in my head; a terrible ache that made my stomach turn. Instantly I began to panic, and I waited for the frigid touch and the cruel voice to whisper through my mind as the parasite ate me alive.

I was pleasantly surprised to feel none of that, but the soft touch of a palm to my face. The skin was nearly hot, and I felt myself leaning into that heavenly touch. I tried to groan, and I found my throat bruised as if the phantom had held weight and substance. I didn't want to open my eyes, for the fear that I was still dreaming so I left my face to rest against that hand.

The voice was one I had heard in my dreams, "Master…?"

The voice made my pulse speed and my mouth go dry. Every cell in my body stood at attention and I was suddenly ultra aware of the hand on my face, and that voice so close to me.

"Master, you need to wake up…"

Another bolt of _something_ thrilled through me, and I gasped, though it hurt to even breathe. I managed a whimper as I rolled my head against the pillows, "Dreaming…" My fingers clawed weakly at the sheets, balling them into my fists as I fought against the sensation that tickled over me as I heard the laugh.

"You're not dreaming. I fixed you and I'd like to take advantage of that. I mean… I'd like _you_ to take…advantage…. Open your bloody eyes!"

I cracked an eye open, and saw the face of the Doctor, silhouetted against the light. He was so close that we shared the same breath and the smile that curled his mouth left me speechless. I felt his thumb touch over my cheek once more before he pulled his hand back. I secretly longed for the touch again.

"There you go… Here…" There was a whirring noise, and the Doctor took me by the shoulders and helped me sit up slightly. He presented me with a shiny metal cup and a straw within lips reach.

I was grateful as the liquid quenched the dryness of my throat, though I didn't question where he got water from. I only had to lift a brow for the Doctor to answer the unasked questions.

"Your throat is a bit bruised still, and your brain seems to be on the mend… You've been out for a week." The Doctor's voice was quiet as he curled his fingers around each other. He fidgeted like he was fighting an urge, or an impulse. Something his body wanted to do without his mind to guide him.

I snorted, "A week? An entire week? What the hell was I doing?"

"Drooling, mostly…"

I opened my mouth to retort, and found it was too much effort. I shook my head instead, giving a little snort as the Doctor laughed. He seemed in good spirits, and I felt better than I had since I came here.

"You said you fixed me?" I asked quietly, letting my eyes drift shut again.

I knew he nodded, though I couldn't see. And I knew he had a strange look on his face from wondering why he nodded when he knew I couldn't see. I smiled to myself as he spoke, "Temporarily. I was able to figure out what was inside your head, and isolate it using the TARDIS. It's not a cure, but it'll buy us some time."

I nodded, and opened my eyes again. The smile had faded, and I knew my face looked solemn as I looked at the Doctor. His face mirrored my own, though his lips were turned up slightly.

"Why did you help me? It's not like I've been helpful. Quite the opposite, in fact." The words strained my throat, but I kept an even tone, with maybe a hint of the usual sarcastic charm.

"I couldn't let you die… We're the only two left, and I… I couldn't bear to be alone, not after I learned you were alive…"

The words brought back the sensations from before, and I felt my face soften. The admittance left him looking like a broken thing, with his eyes downcast to his lap and gnarled hands. He was so tired of being left alone, and having to leave companions behind for fear they might die under his care. I reached out to him, and found tubes and needles and wires jammed into my veins stopping me short.

The motion of my hand towards him made the Doctor's hands unfurl and spring towards me. When his fingers found mine, I thought he would never let go. The response amazed me; I had never thought such a thing to happen. I grew suspicious, almost instantly.

"You were so distrusting before." I stared him in the eye as I spoke, letting the caution I felt lace my words together.

"I was… And to be quite honest, I still am." He gave me a little grin, and lifted a hand to rub at the back of his head in a sheepish gesture. "But we are the very last and I… Don't really want to be alone anymore… So I'll learn to trust you." His eyes were cast down again, the smile fading as darker things crept across his face.

"Besides… You don't seem too terrible. Almost tolerable, I'd say."

I watched the Doctor give a little smirk, and I couldn't help but narrow my eyes as I struggled with my own lips turning upwards. I had wanted to be irritated and angry at the Doctor wanting to keep me as some sort of…companion, but I just couldn't bring myself to it. I used his fingers in mine to give his hand a tug to catch his attention.

"Shut up. It's me who has to tolerate _you_ and your stupid hair. … Honestly, this is the stupidest I've ever seen it."

I laughed as he jerked his hand back, hands flying to his hair and faking offense, "Oi! My hair is fantastic! Amazing! The best yet!"

I shrugged a little, still smiling, "I sort of liked the powdered wig look you had in the beginning."

The Doctor gave a little hum and a nod, "Well, yes… Very refined. Anyway… I think Kaji might like to say hello, so I'll bring her around." He stood, and turned to move away from me, but my fingers found his sleeve.

"She's okay?" I asked hopefully.

The Doctor smiled, "As well as she can be, considering. You might be a little…surprised. She grew up… pretty fast." He finished awkwardly while his eyes darted around the room to find something else to focus on. I snorted slightly at his behavior, and shook my head. My fingers tightened on his sleeve and I knew I caught his attention again when his eyes found my face.

"Come back later?" I winced at the terribly pathetic tone in my voice, but the Doctor gave a soft smile and a nod before he tugged his sleeve from my grip and made his way out of the infirmary.

I sat in silence that was only broken by the soft humming and the occasional whirs of the machines and tubes that curled through my body. I tugged at the needle in my arm, watching the skin move with it, and I could feel the metal wriggling around inside of my veins. It was unusual, but not altogether unpleasant.

The thought of something wriggling under my skin made me focus on whatever parasite currently called my brain its home. I didn't feel a thing; not even a tingle. I heaved a great sigh as I let my head flop back onto the pillowed mattress of my cot and I thanked the cosmos for the ingenuity of the Doctor, and the inner workings of his TARDIS.

I could very nearly feel the vacant spots in my head where the thing had been feeding, but behind that was the soothing sensation of the TARDIS' telepathic field. It was cool and serene, like a still pool of water. Reverberating from the surface of that pond, making it ripple and shiver was the sound of drums, always present but softer now. It was like listening to the cacophony of noise through a wall. I felt the ebb and flow, though it was distant.

Simply thinking about the drums made them beat louder, and when the doors swooshed open I was welcome to whatever distraction wandered through the door. I did not, however, expect the little Kaji to have grown so much and in such a short time. The week I was out felt like years as I stared at the figure in front of me.

She stood close to my shoulder, now, if I were standing up, which was a vast difference from the small child that stood at my knee only a week before. Her face was thinner with bones more defined and her scaled skin stretched tight across her face. The hair atop her head was as long as before and still tied into an elegant knot that was her crowns only adornment. I noticed that the Doctor had found her clothes to fit her womanly frame, though that I looked closer; I had a sneaking suspicious that it was only a sheet with a few adjustments.

I supposed that trousers and a shirt might have been a little strange for the alien.

"I'm glad the Doctor warned me…" I muttered softly as my hands played over themselves, tugging at the tubes and wires even though I smiled to the girl in front of me. I noticed her eyes, white and as blank as a sheet and I felt a stab of remorse.

"You shouldn't remove those things just yet." She smiled when she spoke, and she moved through the room as if she could see it just fine, to sit in the chair the Doctor had just vacated.

I gave her a suspicious stare as blank eyes looked out over the room, though her face was pointed vaguely in my direction.

"And how do you know that?"

"You're not so hard to figure out. Even without the Sight, I might have known that you were impatiently pulling on the things that have been keeping you alive."

"Oh." I wasn't sure if I enjoyed the fact that the little Kaji seemed to know me so well, after only interacting with me for such a short time. "Well, I'm sure if you had things hooked up to you, you'd pull at them, too."

Tentative hands reached out to feel around for the back of the chair. When she sat, her hands found mine and I thought I sensed a theme with the hand holding.

"We're very glad you woke up." Slender fingers gripped mine tightly and I smiled, though I knew she couldn't see it. I squeezed back gently.

"It takes much more to end me than a bug in my brain."

I watched her face turn solemn and those milky eyes shivered in their sockets as she mimicked the action of glancing around the room. The universe only knew what she saw behind her eyes.

"Not much more." She spoke so plainly that the comment nearly went over my head.

"Pardon?" I lifted a brow as I shifted my shoulders to get more comfortable.

"There are many paths that a soul may follow. Two paths may intertwine, or a stranger's path might reroute your own. The paths of lovers are often one in the same, and the colors of the souls create a shade that is unique to that bond."

She paused, and gave a small smile, "In you, I See where the path you lead now should have ended, and I See you simply suspended, and out of place. Your Fish's colors surround you now, and you move in time with him but the Fates will correct this. Every soul must have its own path."

She looked so calm, and level headed as she told me how out of place I was here. As if the knowledge didn't make my hearts quiver, and my stomach fall to the floor.

"The universe has a way of correcting itself, I suppose…" I mused aloud as I tugged my hands away from hers to rest beside me. My fingers began to tear and tug at the sheets out of habit as I thought and wondered what I could do about my impending doom.

It was bully for me that I couldn't share my ideas with the Doctor. Two brilliant minds were far better than one when it came to thinking a way out of something so severe.

I was a paradox; a second body inhabiting the space another body already possessed. By my calculations, I knew that the human skin I hid away in was still at the end of the universe which was both my past and my future. I could leave it alone and ignore it, and I wondered the implications if I did. Without my former self stealing the TARDIS, I could have never come back to begin with; therefore I shouldn't be here now, as I didn't exist yet.

Paradoxes had a way of fixing themselves, which was true, though I hadn't felt my atoms unraveling to correct the disruption. I was both thankful and confused for this. I wondered if it was my Timelord essence, for lack of a better term, which helped me stay afloat. I knew that the Doctor left paradoxes behind like mushrooms after a rain, and he was still intact. Mostly.

There was a chance that I was in a parallel. I hadn't investigated too much, nor did I know how things were supposed to be, though I knew the chances of that were slim to none. Even in a parallel, though, I knew I had to of existed. You couldn't have the Doctor without having me.

Ideas flew across my mind, all trying to save myself from being erased from time until one stuck out. In time with the drums, a little voice whispered through my head that had nothing to do with the parasite, and everything to do with the level of insanity that still curled around my brain.

I could kill myself. Not myself, now as I knew it, but I couldn't possibly convince the Doctor to take me the edge of the universe, the End of Time and I could stop myself from doing anything I had ever done past that point. There was a high chance that I would still disappear, though more impossible things had happened, and very recently, too.

"You feel to be very deep in thought."

Kaji's voice startled me; I had forgotten she was there. I turned my eyes to her and wasted a smile and a little nod of my head, "I was. Just thinking about how to fix things…"

The girl bowed her head as she stood from the hard backed chair. Her hands reached for me one last time to tug my hand into hers. Milky eyes met mine, and I felt her sifting through my soul and I could do nothing to stop her.

"You will need to be very careful. You will be your own undoing, and not even the Fates can See what lies in front of you if you carry on this path." She released me, and before I could even say goodbye she was out the infirmary doors in a whispering of cloth and a billowing of sheets.

Maybe I had offended. I realized that I didn't care; my only focus was trying to fix the time stream I had mucked up in coming here, though I didn't want to repair it to what it was before.

I wanted to alter it. I was Timelord, and I felt no reason (other than morals) that I shouldn't have been able to cut out a niche for me in this time.

I felt…compelled to stay with the Doctor, as close as I could be. Over the weeks, I couldn't help but feel my hearts opening up and I knew this affection had nothing to do with the parasite in my head.

Alone with my thoughts, I wondered exactly where the parasite had come from in the first place. Tempus Edax had been extinct from the universe for eons, though I had somehow managed to find the very last. Or, it had found me.

Timelords were like any other creature; we had natural enemies though there were far and few between. Over the years, those enemies had dwindled to nothing, cowering in the shadow of Gallifry's power. I remembered reading about Tempus Edax, and how the little worm would drive Lords to murder their entire families, save for one. The parasite would find its way into a healthier brain after, and the Lord would be left to face the consequences with a newfound sense of sanity. Sometimes, the new host would slay the old host, and the cycle continued, though this hadn't happened in thousands of years.

I wondered why the parasite chose me in the first place; I was as crazy as they came. I wondered where it came from… The Doctor, in the time I came from? Or maybe it had always been there, laying dormant, and seeing another Timelord had brought it back to life, so to speak. The bug hadn't told me any of its plans; it only seemed to be there to torture me.

I bit my lip as I wished for a second mind as brilliant as my own to help pick apart this problem. I knew that was improbable and possibly a little impossible without having this galaxy collapse, or a star explode prematurely.

I shifted against the pillows to get more comfortable, and my breath left me in a sigh as my eyes slipped closed. I was still weak, and I felt I needed sleep.

Thoughts chased themselves around my head for awhile longer until blissful blackness ate at the edges of my visions. If I dreamed this time, I didn't remember.

-TBC-

A/N: Gimme feedback! Causality confuses me sometimes.


	14. Chapter 14

Author's Notes: For Kerry! Without her constant poking, I would have never come this far. Big love to you, my friend! And thanks for all the reviews, from everyone! It really keeps me writing!

Warnings: Some fluff. Suggestive themes.

Rewrite

'Chapter Fourteen'

For three weeks, we simply drifted in space.

There was no rush, no sense of urgency or terror or something to chase us and keep us perpetually on our toes; only the quiet whir of the engines and the occasional outburst from Jack when he felt things were too quiet. It was relaxing, and gentle and rather peaceful. I hadn't experienced a peace like this in a very long time, and I was thankful to feel it with the Doctor, and the young Kaji.

My fellow Timelord was as he usually was; full of quick wit and drawling remarks and a smile plastered across his face. It was only when no one was looking did he frown and I would watch sorrow spill into his eyes like ink tainting pure water. We had had time alone in the last few weeks, enough that I felt more comfortable around my oldest friend, though usually I would have to cut things short. I felt a fire burning in the pit of my stomach for this man and I hadn't any idea what to do with it. It left us both confused.

Kaji was a joy, to put it very simply. Her humor was closer to my own, blacker and darker than the lightheartedness of the good Doctor. He scoffed at our remarks sometimes, rolling his eyes and finding another place in the TARDIS to sit, far away from us. She proved to have a strong mind, and I was ashamed to say that she beat me in chess more often than not. I blamed her Sight, and she blamed my lack of brain cells, which was closer to the truth than I liked.

I even learned to get along with Jack, and he learned to appreciate my scathing remarks and my ability to make the Doctor blush. The human was smart and handsome for an inferior being and I found myself growing rather fond of his dimpled chin and wide smiles. He reminded me of the Doctor, in a way; stubborn and moody at times. He also possessed a vortex manipulator, which I thought would come in handy someday.

In our time drifting, I never heard a whispered voice or saw a bloody image of the Doctor. I barely heard the drums thrumming away in my head, though there were times when I was alone, and the silence was thick that the sounds would begin to intensify. As I lay in my room, the sounds began to bounce from the inside of my skull, ricocheting off the walls of bone and it made me bolt upright, holding my breath.

I wasn't sure of the time, though that didn't really matter aboard the TARDIS. I knew it was the sleep cycle, a time when even the ship slowed down and got some rest as we spiraled through a multicolored galaxy.

Panic ate at the air in my lungs, and I found myself tossing back thicker blankets as sweat beaded across my bare chest. I found myself on my feet and scrambling for something to cover myself with as the drums beat hard enough to make my teeth ache. Distantly, I heard a voice; that eerie, unsettling and menacing voice and I felt my hearts stop. I knew it was tricks being played, I knew it was my mind acting on it's own but still it terrified me.

This had happened once, or twice before and like the last two times, I found myself panting as I stood in front of the Doctor's doors, and not remembering how I got there. I pressed my hands against the wood, and laid my cheek against the rough grain as I thumped the door. My eyes shut tight as I thought how stupid and pathetic I felt, running to the man who I had sworn as my enemy so long ago.

I waited for what seemed like an eternity, and my patience was rewarded as the doors opened enough for me to slip through the crack, and stumble right into the Doctor's arms.

"Well, hello there." He drawled as he helped me right myself, though his hands remained on my shoulder and waist, respectively. It was then that I noticed I had only grabbed for a robe, leaving my upper body bare down the middle.

My near nakedness was forgotten as I stared into his face from so close. I felt the drums receding, and I felt a calmness and peace fall over me that I had grown attached to in my time on the TARDIS.

With a contented sigh, I felt myself straighten and my eyes slipped closed for a moment to savor the feeling, "Hello, yourself." I nearly purred as I took a small step back to fold my robe over my chest, and forced the Doctor to break contact.

The Doctor stared at me for a moment before he crossed his arms over his chest. His glasses were perched on his nose, and the rumpled state of his suit told me that he had probably fallen asleep while he was reading.

"Another attack?"

He didn't need to be told. I saw his eyes flick over my form and I watched the answer come the moment I saw him through the crack in the door. I didn't let the utter relief show on my face, though I knew the Doctor could see that the tension had lessened the moment we touched.

"Something like that." I slipped around him, and the door clicked shut behind us without the aide of the Doctor's hands. I made myself at home in his chambers, like some sort of invasive species. I noticed that the sheets were pulled to on his bed, though they looked rumpled, as if he had only sat on it, maybe napped, but he never really slept.

"Do you ever sleep?" I mused aloud as I ran my hands along the smooth, dark wood of the four poster, not bothering to look over my shoulder at the sullen look the Doctor no doubt had on his face.

"I was napping, actually, when you came knocking."

I snorted at this as I leapt gracelessly onto his bed, making it a point to muss his sheets and rumple his bedclothes as I sprawled out on my back diagonally. "That's not really sleeping. Sleeping usually requires the proper attire." I turned my eyes to his disheveled suit, "I can't imagine a suit would be comfortable to sleep in."

The Doctor groused under his breath as he pulled his glasses from his face and placed them in a convenient spot for later. I watched in amazement as he slid his blazer off, and slender fingers began plucking the buttons of his shirt, and his eyes remained locked with mine. When the first hint of bare flesh was exposed, I felt my face go hot and I turned to grab for a pillow to hide the flush that washed across my cheeks.

After a moment, I heard a rustling of cloth and a tug at the sheets that were trapped beneath me. When I pulled my face from the pillow, my hearts nearly seized as the Doctor stood beside his bed in nothing but long pajama bottoms.

"Budge over."

I swallowed past my tongue as I shifted my position so that I only took up one side of the rather large bed. As f it was the most normal thing in the world, the Doctor pulled his sheets back and slipped underneath. It was strange to watch him cuddle under his blankets while he faced me. I could do nothing but stare as he bunched up his pillow under his cheek and stared at me from a few feet away.

I had no words, though I managed a squeak that might be called a phrase, though I had no idea what words I was trying to say. He lay on his side, looking glorious in cerulean colored sheets and all I could do was splutter like some school girl. I hated that he had this effect on me.

The Doctor, however, thought this to be rather funny. I saw the twinkle in his eye as he fought not to laugh, though that didn't stop the comments.

"You look a little red there, Master. Are you feeling alright?" His hand uncoiled from the pillow to reach out and touch my face. His fingers trailed gently over the skin of my cheek, and I held my breath as the calloused pads brushed the corner of my mouth.

"You might be fevering." With each touch against my skin, the blush grew hotter, and hotter until it felt as if my head would explode. My breath was caught in my throat, and I coughed to clear it as I tugged my face just out of reach.

"I'm not fevering, you buffon." I curled up on my side to look at him, and I noticed his eyes traveling down the center of my chest. I tried to ignore the joy that spread through me as he took notice of my body.

Why did I care? There were a thousand different answers to that question, though I ignored most of them as I fought to maintain some sort of grace, even as he snickered at me.

"I think someone needs a doctor."

"Oh, ha ha." I rolled my eyes. "You think you're so clever…"

"I've been told I'm rather clever, actually, by many people. Humans, mostly, since other species seem to have far more pride."

"And you're one to talk about pride!"

"Pot and the kettle, Master. Should we talk about _your_ pride?"

I opened my mouth to retort, but snapped it shut after a moment. "No. Let's move on to lighter things." I reached for a pillow to stuff under my head, mimicking the Doctor's pose, "You're bed is rather comfortable."

"Thank you. It came with the TARDIS. … Don't ask how, or why. It just did."

"That takes the fun out of talking, then, doesn't it?"

I watched a smile curl across the Doctor's lips, "There are plenty of other things we can do besides talk."

My fellow Timelord was maybe the thickest creature I had ever known. Normal social behavior seemed to pass him right by, and he never seemed to notice how enamoring he was. In the past, and from a distance, of course, I had watched him turn down a great number of beauties, though not because he really wanted to. He was simply being himself; thick, and slow, and uncaring of anything but fleeting friendships. Love was not a card the Doctor played very often.

I didn't know what to say, so I stared at him and knew that he saw the gears turning in my head. There were a great many things I could do. I could get up and leave, and spend the rest of my time on the TARDIS hiding in corridors that the Doctor's didn't tread through, or I could grab the Dalek by the eyestalk and possibly ruin everything I was trying to accomplish.

Since I wasn't one to flee, I decided on the latter. I shifted myself, and without words I came to be flush against the front of the Doctor's body, with his sheets and my robe separating the touch of our flesh. My hands were shaking as I set out to grip the edges of his face in my palms and simply stare for what seemed like an eternity.

The Doctor didn't move away under my touch, but he didn't come any closer either. I saw a polite blankness upon his face; a mask to give away nothing of what was underneath, though there was a flicker of fire in his eyes. At no signs of blatant rejection, I took the plunge and pressed my lips against his.

Time stood still. His lips were dry and he didn't flinch away from me as my hands moved to settle more firmly against his cheeks. My hearts were fluttering against my ribcage, and I felt as though I might explode from the tension building up along my spine. The Doctor seemed to sense this, and I felt his lips twitch against mine, a curving that might be a smile and all at once, he was kissing me back.

His arms became unfurled, and he curled one long limb around my shoulders while a long-fingered hand coiled over the bone in my hip. His fingers tightened to just this side of bruising, and it drew a noise was my lungs, which was quickly devoured as the Doctor began to grow more feverous, and needy.

I was surprised when I was rolled onto my back, with blankets and clothe all tangled around our legs it seemed like there was no going back, now. No escape from the molten mouth that broke from my lips to trail across my neck and breath into my ear.

"Funny how things work out, isn't it?"

"Shut up, and kiss me."

He didn't need to be told twice. His mouth crashed into mine with the force of worlds colliding and I was a stray bit of cosmic dust bathing in the afterglow of something magnificent. I was trapped beneath his body, and I couldn't bring myself to care. The drums pounded away in my head, though it was a distant echo. The only noise I could focus on was the ragged breath and the thundering of our combined hearts.

The fire spread to my hands, and they began to move on their own accord as they tickled and drifted over broad shoulders and down a sinewy spine. His skin was hot under my touch, and he groaned into my mouth, even as his teeth tugged at my lower lip. The edge of pain made me jerk, and gasp. Skillful hands threaded through my hair and over my neck only to trail lower, grazing across my chest and the hardened nubs that careful fingers found.

It was as if my skin had been washed away, and I was left to be one giant exposed nerve. Every touch, and every breath sent sparks down my spine, and my only response was to shiver and groan and breathe out a name that tasted like rain on my lips.

"Doctor." The words were more breathy noise that anything tangible, but the sound made him pause at the base of my neck. A wicked mouth did something at the juncture of my neck and shoulder that made me give a little shout, and I noticed the blood was being redirected to delicate places.

"Can I help you?" He asked cheekily, and I could only roll my eyes as his face was pulled back enough to stare down into my eyes. Such warm eyes he had; so full of life and acceptance and maybe the gentle spiral of affection and love.

I found myself smiling, in spite of myself. "I can think of a thousand ways you could help me."

My new found lover gave a chuckle that made my spine bow, and his words were like silk in my ears, "Let's start with something fun." His hips twitched against mine, and I almost choked on my own breath.

The thought occurred to me that I hadn't done anything like this in a long time. There was Lucy, of course, but not very often. Our love was one that was needed for me to be Harold Saxon. That time in my life seemed so distant to now. Distant and unimportant, though that thought sparked another, and then another and the dominos of my brain were sent tumbling in a neat line, leading back to the memory of this beautiful man laying dead in my arms.

"Master?" His voice was thick with need, though there was concern behind that.

It took effort, and energy and sheer force of will to cast those images to the back of my mind. I didn't want to sully something lovely with something so dark, and tainted. My smile was a fragile one as I curled my arms around his neck and pulled our chests flush together, and I hugged him for all I was worth.

"We have eternity to have fun. This is nice… For now."

He had the nerve to laugh at me, "You're a girl sometimes."

"Oh, shut up! I am perfectly masculine!"

This made him laugh harder, bowing his head so that mutant pompadour tickled against my nose. "I'm not trying to be amusing, Doctor. I'm trying to be… affectionate."

"And it's wonderful." He grinned brightly.

It made me smile, and he bent his neck to kiss me before he rolled to the side with one arm still curled around my waist. Our shoulder's touched, and I found myself wriggling closer to him, my skin almost aching for the touch of his flesh. After more laughter and adjustments, we were perfectly intertwined with my head upon his shoulder and our legs knotted together. His fingers found mine to lace through, and he held my hand across his stomach while his other arm looped around my shoulders to hold me close and his fingers played across my knuckles.

It was bliss, or very nearly so. There was still a niggling sensation in the back of my head that something terrible would happen to ruin this, but I chased it away with the sensation of a warm and very alive Doctor beneath my cheek.

"I'm glad you fell out of the sky."

The Doctor broke the silence with quiet words, almost as if he were afraid to say them; afraid to let on that at least one of his hearts were still warm and inviting and capable or a great deal of things. The Doctor did love, and he loved hard, though I knew his hearts had been broken so many times that he sometimes didn't want to try anymore. I wasn't saying that he loved me; of far from it, but he was pleased. I could deal with pleased.

"Oh, yes. It's a very popular courting method. Crash to Earth and lie to the man you fancy; it works every time."

He laughed, the force of his making his chest rumble under my cheek and the bed to shake. "So you fancied me then, did you?" A smirk found its way to his lips and I knew without looking that it was a cocky quirk of lips.

I was not afraid of broken hearts. "Of course I did, and I have for… Longer than I'd like to admit. And you can deal with that how you like… I'm going to sleep."

I sniffed as I adjusted myself beneath his arm, letting my eyes slip closed before he had time to respond with a chuckle, though he didn't speak for a long time. The rhythmic sound of his hearts washed away all of my worry and I knew I was more exhausted than I had thought, because sleep washed over me in a fuzzy black.

I was sure I only dreamed the words, 'I love you.'

-TBC-

A/N: This chapter was sweet, though I feel like I might have rushed the coupling. Feed back is appreciated!


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